Abstract
AbstractPurposeThe objective of this pilot study was to compare the effects of two parallel balance trainings on postural sway and balance confidence. The study was performed in different contexts with stable vs. unstable base of support and balance confidence was measured with a scale modified for young adults with higher functional level.Materials/methodsTwenty healthy female physiotherapist students volunteered for the study and took part in a six-week balance training intervention. They were randomly assigned to two groups training on different support surfaces. Postural sway was recorded under various conditions: on different surfaces (firm, foam) and with different visual conditions (eyes open (EO), eyes closed (EC)). Modified Activities-specific Balance Confidence (mABC) scale was self-evaluated.ResultsBoth types of training caused a significant improvement in the mABC scores. The sway path increased after the training in the less challenging balance situations. We found a tendency of decreasing sway path only in the more challenging balance situations, that is standing on foam mounted on force plate with EC.ConclusionsConsidering the improved balance confidence in the case of both groups, we suggest that an increase in sway path after balance training may be the behavioural sign of the higher confidence in the less challenging balance situations.
Highlights
Postural control (PC) means controlling the body’s position in space to achieve orientation that is a perceptual goal and stability which is a biomechanical goal [1]
The study was performed in different contexts with stable vs. unstable base of support and balance confidence was measured with a scale modified for young adults with higher functional level
Considering the improved balance confidence in the case of both groups, we suggest that an increase in sway path after balance training may be the behavioural sign of the higher confidence in the less challenging balance situations
Summary
Postural control (PC) means controlling the body’s position in space to achieve orientation that is a perceptual goal and stability which is a biomechanical goal [1]. In everyday life, these two goals of PC are achieved simultaneously. Balance and PC during static positions and locomotion is the result of a perceptual-motor process: PC includes the position sense and kinaesthesia derived from the visual, somatosensory, and vestibular systems, by processing sensory information to determine orientation and movement and by selecting the appropriate motor answers to maintain or restore the balance of the body. The ultimate goal of rehabilitation is to improve functional independence. Improving PC is of utmost importance, since balance is the basis of every function
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