The role of plantar pressure sensation in controlling compensatory stepping was explored via hypothermic anesthesia of the foot soles, in 10 healthy young adults. Stepping reactions were evoked by unpredictable platform translation in forward, backward and lateral directions. The findings suggest three specific direction- and phase-dependent roles for the plantar cutaneous afferents: (1) sensing posterior stability limits during initiation of backward steps, (2) sensing and controlling heel-contact and subsequent weight transfer during termination of forward steps, and (3) maintaining stability during the prolonged swing phase of lateral crossover steps.