## 2 Methods
### Postural Stability Assessment Using the Cyber-Sabots(tm) Platform  
The Cyber-Sabots(tm) platform (Cyber-Sabots, Innovative Technology, Marseille, France) was used to evaluate postural stability through various variables that reflect a person's stability and balance under different experimental conditions. This platform, recognized for its high precision, collects detailed biomechanical data on center of pressure (CoP) displacements across multiple planes. It operates with two independent dynamometric platforms, one for each foot, enabling the quantification of the distinct contributions of ankle and hip musculature to postural stability. The system complies with the metrological standards established by the French Association of Posturology (AFP Standards 85/2000). Calibration was performed prior to each experimental session using the manufacturer's standard software protocol entitled \"unload for measurement\". This procedure ensures accurate zeroing of the force plates before each trial and complies with the standard stabilometric guidelines [27]. The postural stability parameters analyzed included mean CoP position, represented by DistMean; sway area and amplitude, assessed through Surface, Length, LengthX, and LengthY; postural stability and energy expenditure, evaluated using the LFS parameter. This variable, defined as the ratio between CoP path length and sway surface area, reflects the neuromuscular effort (muscular activation required to maintain postural stability) needed to maintain balance and serves as an indirect indicator of energy expenditure. Frequency and spectral analysis were conducted using the AN02X and AN02Y variables. Load distribution and asymmetry were assessed through the parameters RR, FeetP, LFOOT, RFOOT, and LRR. LFOOT and RFOOT correspond to the average vertical pressure (in mm) exerted on the forefoot of the left and right feet, respectively, while RR and LR indicate the load on the rearfoot. The antero-posterior ratio (APR) was calculated to assess the balance between the forefoot and rearfoot loading, with negative values indicating a predominance of anterior loading. The left-right load ratio (LRR) quantifies asymmetry in load distribution between both sides of the body, with positive values indicating a preference for the left side. Postural stability dependence on visual input was evaluated using the Romberg quotient parameters QRBG and QRBVV, calculated as the ratio between values obtained under eyes closed and eyes open conditions for total sway area (QRBG) and velocity variance (QRBVV), respectively. Elevated values in these indices indicate greater reliance on visual input to maintain balance, suggesting lower efficiency of proprioceptive and vestibular systems in the absence of vision. Conversely, lower values indicate better multisensory integration and reduced visual dependency. The Romberg quotients were specifically calculated to allow indirect comparison between eyes open and eyes closed conditions, assessing the influence of visual input on postural control without presenting separate raw data tables. Participants were instructed to adopt a standardized bipedal stance, barefoot, with their feet aligned at an angle of 30\({}^{\circ}\), without socks or shoes. The stabilizer platform was positioned at a distance of 240 cm from an optical target (a vertical line on the wall) to ensure objectivity of vertical alignment. These conditions were defined to standardize participant posture and visual focus during the measurements. During testing, participants were exposed to two experimental conditions: eyes open and eyes closed. These variations were used to assess the influence of visual sensory input on postural stability, as recommended by standard postural assessment protocols. Stabilometric data were collected over a 51.2 s interval for each condition, with a sampling frequency of 40 Hz. The parameters analyzed included CoP total oscillation amplitude, average CoP velocity, and CoP displacement area, following best practices in stabilizer analysis.