MODALITY OF PRACTICE AFFECTS BALANCE IMPROVEMENT WHILE LEARNING TO MOVE WITH A KNEE CRUTCH

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study determined the impact of practice time and modality of practice on Balance while wearing a knee crutch (KC) on dominant leg, which gives a participant a “Peg Leg” like situation to move around. METHODS: Fifteen female (five in each group) and fifteen male (five in each group) participants were randomly assigned to one of three practice groups: Walking (W), Balance Training (BT), Combination (WBT). Four five-minute practice sessions were completed with balance tested before wearing KC, immediately after putting KC on, after each practice session, and after taking KC off. Balance was calculated as the average distance of three center of pressure measures of body sway during 20 second trials. A 7(time) x 3 (group) Mixed ANOVA followed by a Scheffe multiple comparisons (SMC) were done. RESULTS: ANOVA indicated a significant Time (F(6,162)=88.441, p < .001) and Group (F(2,27)=5.120, p=.013) main effects with significant interaction (F(12,162)=2.744, p = .002). SMC indicated that WBT (53.6 + 14.1 cm, 51.6 + 9.9 cm, 45.6 + 8.0 cm) was significantly different from the BT (36.9 + 4.7 cm, 36.4 + 5.6 cm, 38.4 + 6.0 cm) and W (41.0 + 7.0 cm, 40.7 + 6.4 cm, 35.8 + 3.4 cm) groups following the last three practice sessions (P < .045). The BT and W groups were not significantly different throughout the tests (P > .456). CONCLUSION: Balance appears to improve more efficiently with a consistent modality rather than mixing modalities.