In observational studies of infants and young children and lesioned animals (decerebration experiments), righting and equilibrium reactions comprise the postural reflex mechanism. Automatic righting reactions (RR) orient the head in space (optical RR, labyrinthine RR, body-on-head RR) and the body in relation to the head and support surface (neck-on-body RR, body-on-body RR). Equilibrium reactions include tilting reactions and parachute or protective reactions. In normal adults, however, postural adjustments are far more complex and demonstrate a high degree of adaptability in response to both task and environmental context demands. Postural adjustments vary from the simple stretch reflex responses to the activation of specific movement strategies (synergistic patterns). Muscles closest to the BOS are particularly important to the maintenance of balance. As the LOS is reached with a COM disturbance, the magnitude of the postural response is increased