Abstract
Objective:
Research
clearly shows that balance training improves balance and reduces recurrent
injuries. However, the existing data is inconclusive about the effect of
balance training exercises on proprioceptive outcomes.
While some studies have reported positive effects of
balance training on position sense other have reported insignificant findings.
For that reason the purpose of
this study was to determine if a dynamic balance training program centered on
the use of unstable surface exercises can improve lower extremity joint
position sense.
Setting:
University
Research Laboratory
Participants:
Twelve
healthy men (age: 22.5 ± 4.58 years, height: 181.58 ± 7.57 cm, weight:85.25
±10.67 kg, BMI: 25.87 ± 3.01 kg/m2) and 16 healthy women (age: 20.87
± 3.4 years, height: 164.13 ± 6.15 cm, weight: 63.75 ±13.3 kg, BMI: 23.53 ±
3.94 kg/m2 ) volunteered to participate.
Intervention(s):
All participants underwent a total of 12
supervised training sessions over a 4-week period of time with each session
lasting about 30 minutes. The specific exercises that were performed during
each training session included: 1) hop to stabilization onto and off of a BOSU
ball in four directions (anterior, lateral, anteriomedial, and anteriolateral;
2) mini-squats on a BOSU ball while in a single limb stance; 3) unanticipated
reach sequences while stabilizing on a BOSU ball in a single limb stance; and
4) static single limb stance on a BOSU ball.
Main Outcome Measure(s): Ankle joint position sense and knee joint
position sense were assessed by a passive
reproduction of passive positioning protocol. Target angles of 10° and 20° of inversion were used for ankle joint
position sense; 30° and 45° of knee flexion were used for knee joint position
sense assesment. Average absolute error for
the dominant limb quantifed joint-position sense.
Results:
At the end of 4 weeks dynamic balance training program centered on the use of
unstable surface, absolute error score for ankle inversion at 10° improved from
2.29±1.61 to 2.09±1.86, knee flexion at 30° improved from 5.07±2.78 to
4.80±2.55, and knee flexion at 45° improved from 4.12±2.19 to 3.87±2.25.
However, this improvements were not significant (p>0.05)
Conclusion: There were improvements
noted (absolute error decreased for 10o of inversion and 30o
and 45o of knee flexion) despite the lack of significant differences
and small effect sizes with 95% CIs that crossed 0. The lack of a significant
improvement in absolute errors scores could be due to methodological
considerations, participant characteristics and/or a training volume dose
response.
References
- Philiph A Gribble Patrick OMckeon
Details
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Subjects | Health Care Administration |
| Journal Section | Medical Science Research Articles |
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | September 30, 2018 |
| Acceptance Date | September 13, 2018 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2018 |