Abstract
Abstract Introduction: Running has increased significantly in recent years due to its benefits and practicality. However, like any sport, running poses a risk of injury, leading to the need for clinical intervention and even its practitioners quitting the sport. Therefore, preventive strategies seeking to minimize the occurrence and consequences of such risk factors in these athletes are pivotal. Objective: To investigate the preventive effects of a sensorimotor training protocol on the balance and pelvic stability of runners. Methods: The study sample consisted of fourteen 10-km runners of both genders divided into two groups: the control group (CG) and the sensorimotor training group (SMTG). Both groups were evaluated using the single-leg stance test (static balance), Trendelenburg test (pelvic stability), and hop test (dynamic balance). The SMTG underwent 16 interventions, while the CG did not receive any intervention. Results: The SMTG showed a significant increase in the permanence time of the single-leg stance test (p < 0.05) and a reduction in knee valgus during impulse and landing moments of the single hop test only in the right lower limb (p < 0.05), while the CG showed no significant difference in all tests applied (p > 0.05). Regarding pelvic stability, there was no significant difference in any of the groups. Conclusion: The proposed protocol significantly improved the static balance of the SMTG, but not the pelvic stability.
Highlights
Running has increased significantly in recent years due to its benefits and practicality
The sensorimotor training group (SMTG) showed a significant increase in the permanence time of the single-leg stance test (p < 0.05) and a reduction in knee valgus during impulse and landing moments of the single hop test only in the right lower limb (p < 0.05), while the control group (CG) showed no significant difference in all tests applied (p > 0.05)
The participants were divided into two groups, each composed of four men and three women: the control group (CG), with a mean age of 47.1 years (± 15.8), mean height of 166 cm (± 9.7), and mean body mass of 64.1 kg (± 9.9), and the sensorimotor training group (SMTG), with a mean age of 41.9 years (± 12.5), mean height of 171.3 cm (± 9.3), and mean body mass of 74.9 kg (± 10)
Summary
Running has increased significantly in recent years due to its benefits and practicality. As in any other sport modality, street running exposes practitioners to the risk of injuries, and anywhere from 19.4 to 92.4% of musculoskeletal changes occur in the lower limbs of runners,[2,3] especially in the ankle/foot, knee, and hip joints.[2,3,4] These changes may contribute to injuries at these sites, especially if there are sensorimotor deficits, including more significant postural sway and/or joint misalignment.[5] Such injuries can be severe enough to reduce or even keep athletes from practicing sports, in addition to leading to the need for medical care.[1] the use of preventive interventions to reduce the incidence and impact of these injuries among runners is pivotal. Physiotherapy uses a vital resource used in the sports environment: sensorimotor training, which aims to improve proprioception and muscle response, improving dynamic joint stability and, reducing the risk of injuries.[6]
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