Previous studies have shown significant effects of increased postural anxiety in healthy young individuals when standing quietly or performing voluntary postural tasks. However, little is known about the influence of anxiety on reactive postural control. The present study examined how increased postural anxiety influenced postural reactions to unexpected surface rotations in multiple directions. Ten healthy young adults (mean age 25.5, range 22-27 years) were required to recover from unexpected rotations of the support surface (7.5 deg amplitude, 50 °/s velocity) delivered in six different directions while standing in a low postural threat (surface height 60 cm above ground) or high postural threat (surface height 160 cm above ground) condition. Electromyographical data from 12 different postural leg, hip and trunk muscles was collected simultaneously. Full body kinematic data was also used to determine total body centre of mass (COM) and segment displacement. Four distinct changes were observed with increased postural anxiety: a) increased amplitude in balance correcting responses (120-220 ms) in all leg, trunk and arm muscles b) decreased onset latency of deltoid responses, c) reduced magnitude of COM displacement and d) reduced angular displacement of leg, pelvis and trunk. These observations suggest that changes in dynamic postural responses with increased anxiety are mediated by alterations in neuro-muscular control mechanisms, and thus may contribute significantly to the patho-physiology of balance deficits associated with aging or neurological disease.