The speed of action of the vestibular system is also apparent during walking: let’s imagine you go out for a walk on an icy day. You’re striding along – and you hit a patch of ice, and immediately try to stabilise yourself. Having managed not to fall, you replay the sequence of events in your mind. You were striding comfortably, then your foot hit ice and you slid. The first thing you will have done is stiffened: all of the muscles of your legs and then your body trunk rapidly acted in concert, and tried to stop your body from slipping or moving further. Then, having successfully righted
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