Those who undergo ACL reconstruction are at an increased risk of suffering a second ACL injury. A suggested rationale for the increased injury risk is sensory reweighting to the visual system to ...compensate for a lack of somatosensory information from the knee. Understanding this proposed visual reliance may help clinicians improve return to sport outcomes and reduce the risk of a subsequent ACL injury.
Thirteen ACL reconstructed individuals and thirteen matched controls completed two common static postural control assessments under three different visual conditions; eyes open, low visual disruption, and high visual disruption. Center of pressure data was collected for 30 s using force plates. Static postural stability was evaluated using the following: 1) root mean square distance, 2) mean velocity, 3) sway area, and 4) mean frequency.
No significant interactions between group and vision were observed. Significant differences between groups were observed for mean frequency in the double-limb stance (p < .05). Additionally, significant differences were observed for visual conditions in both double-limb (mean velocity; p < .05) and single-limb stances (root mean square distance, mean velocity, sway area, and mean frequency; p < .05).
The findings of the current study suggest that ACL reconstructed individuals, who are at least two years removed from surgery, do not rely on visual information to a greater extent than controls during static postural stability assessments. Stroboscopic glasses may be a cost-effective alternative for rehabilitation purposes compared to the traditional binary eyes open vs. eyes closed methods.
•ACL reconstructed individuals do not display increased visual reliance during a static task.•Traditional static assessments may not be challenging enough for this clinical population.•Stroboscopic eyewear may be an effective alternative to traditional forms of balance training.
The human foot has competent mechanisms for supporting weight and adapting movement to various surfaces; in particular, the toe flexor muscles aid in supporting the foot arches and may be important ...contributors to postural stability. However, the role of intrinsic foot muscle morphology and structure in the postural control system remains unclear, and the relationship between them is not well known.
Are intrinsic foot muscle morphology and toe flexor strength related to static and dynamic postural stability in healthy young men?.
A total of 27 healthy men aged 19–27 years participated in this study. intrinsic foot muscle morphology included muscle hardness and thickness. Cross-sectional area was measured by ultrasonography at an ankle dorsiflexion angle of 0°. The hardness of the abductor hallucis (AbH), flexor hallucis brevis, and flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) muscles was measured using ultrasound real-time tissue elastography. Static postural stability during single-leg standing on a single force platform with closed eyes was assessed for the right leg. In the assessment of dynamic postural stability, the subjects jumped and landed on single-leg onto a force platform and the dynamic postural stability index (DPSI) was measured.
FDB muscle thickness showed a positive correlation with anteroposterior stability index (APSI) (r = 0.398, p = 0.040). AbH muscle hardness was negatively correlated with APSI (r = −0.407, p = 0.035); whereas FDB muscle hardness was positively correlated with DPSI (r = 0.534, p = 0.004), vertical stability index (r = 0.545, p = 0.003), and maximum vertical ground reaction force (r = 0.447, p = 0.020). Multiple regression with forced entry revealed that only DPSI was significantly correlated with FDB muscle hardness (p = 0.003).
The results indicated that intrinsic foot muscle hardness plays an important role in dynamic postural control among healthy young men, which may enable a more rapid muscular response to changes in condition during jump landing and better performance in balance tasks.
This repeated-measures laboratory study characterized the relative impacts of vertical-axial dominant and multi-axial Whole-Body Vibration (WBV) exposures on postural stability. Eleven healthy ...participants were exposed to field-measured vibration profiles collected from on-road commercial (vertical-dominant WBV) and off-road mining vehicles (multi-axial WBV) for four hours on two different days. Before and after the exposure, postural stability was evaluated while participants performed sit-to-stand tasks followed by static standing tasks. Overall, the study results indicate that off-road, multi-axial WBV may compromise postural stability more so than on-road, vertical-dominant WBV. These findings may suggest that off-road vehicle operators are at a greater risk of fall-related injuries. Therefore, there is a critical need to develop more effective vibration control measures among off-road vehicle operators.
During functional tasks such as walking, there is a disturbance of postural stability, which can result in falls, which bring functional impairment to the older adults. It is attributed that muscle ...strength can contribute to postural stability in gait, but it is unclear which muscle groups contribute most to postural stability in gait when it is assessed using the Functional Gait Assessment (FGA).
The purpose of the study was to investigate whether handgrip, trunk extensor, hip extensor and abductor, knee extensor, and plantar flexor muscle strengths are related to postural stability in gait in community-dwelling older adults people assessed using the FGA.
A cross-sectional observational study with community-dwelling older adults (60 years or older) of both sexes, with independent gait and recruited by convenience. Muscle strength (maximum isometric contraction) of handgrip (Jamar dynamometer), trunk extensors, hip extensors and abductors, knee extensors and plantar flexors, normalized by body weight (microFET2 hand dynamometer) on the dominant side was evaluated. Postural stability during gait was assessed by the Functional Gait Assessment (FGA) scale. Pearson (r) and Spearman (rho) analyses were used to verify the correlation between variables considering data distribution. The significance level was set at 5%.
Sixty-six older adults subjects were evaluated with a mean age of 73.70 (±7.8) years. The descriptive characteristics of the sample were mean ± standard deviation: FGA (21.71 ± 5.37) score, grip strength (21.56 ± 8.43 kilogram-force), muscle strength of trunk extensors (2.32 ± 0.93 Newton/weight), hip extensors (1.10 ± 0.56 Newton/weight), hip abductors (2.27 ± 0.87 Newton/weight), knee extensors (2.56 ± 1.18 Newton/weight) and plantar flexors (3.22 ± 1.52 Newton/weight). All muscle strength variables showed moderate and positive correlation with postural stability in gait, being palmar grip strength (p= 0.001, r=0.43), trunk extensor muscle strength (p= 0. 001, r=0.50), hip extensors (p=0.001, rho= 0.56), hip abductors (p=0.001, r=0.51), knee extensors (p= 0.001, rho=0.56) and plantar flexors (p=0.001, rho=0.44).
According to the results, the higher the muscle strength parameters, the greater the postural stability during gait. Thus, muscular strength should be evaluated in this population as a modifiable factor, and the continuity of the study with an increased sample is necessary to confirm the results.
From the results, we highlight the importance of the relationship between muscle strength and postural stability in the gait of community-dwelling older adults when it is assessed by a reliable and valid instrument. Future studies need to investigate whether changes in muscle strength can generate improvements in postural stability when it is assessed by FGA.
Introduction: With advancing age, the ability to maintain postural stability may decline. Healthcare workers might be prone to musculoskeletal symptoms which may lead to greater decline in postural ...stability with advancing age. However, the relationship between age and balance in healthy hospital staff has not been elucidated. Aim: To identify the correlations between age and balance measured by the modified Star Excursion Balance Test (mSEBT) performance and determine if age predicts mSEBT performance in healthy male hospital staff. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at Rabigh General Hospital, Rabigh, Saudi Arabia, from December 2020 to June 2021. Fifteen male hospital staff were included in this study. Participants were instructed to perform three trials of mSEBT. Normalised composite scores and reach distances in each direction for both legs were calculated. Pearson correlation was conducted to identify the correlations between age and mSEBT performance. Also, simple linear regression was performed to determine if age predicts mSEBT performance. Results: Significant moderate negative correlations were observed between age and non dominant Posteromedial (PM) direction (r=-0.44, p=0.04) and non dominant composite score (r=-0.48, p=0.03). Also, there was a significant strong negative correlation between age and dominant PM direction (r=-0.52, p=0.02) and a significant moderate negative correlation between age and dominant composite score (r=-0.44, p=0.04). The regression analysis showed that age significantly (p=0.046) predicted 27.3% of the variation in the dominant PM reach direction distance (B=-1.35). Conclusion: The results showed, that age was negatively correlated with PM direction and composite scores for both limbs. Also, age was a predictor of the mSEBT performance only in the dominant PM reach direction.
Purpose Balance allows multidirectional lower limb movements that improve technical football skills and reduce injury caused by match activities. This study aimed to evaluate the static and dynamic ...balance of preferred and nonpreferred legs during unipedal stance in young footballers and investigate correlations between the two types of balance across each parameter. Methods Forty-three youth players (mean age = 15.81 ± 1.33 years, height = 179.50 ± 6.14 cm, body mass = 69.73 ± 9.35 kg) were involved in this study. Static balance was assessed via ellipse area (EA), perimeter length (P), anterior-posterior deviation (APD), medial-lateral deviation (MLD), trunk deviation (TD), average anterior-posterior speed (AAPS), and average medial-lateral speed (AMLS). The total stability index (TSI) and trunk total deviation (TT D) dynamic parameters were also examined. Results None of the static balance parameters showed significant differences between standing on the preferred and nonpreferred legs. Similarly, no meaningful distinctions were observed between the preferred and nonpreferred legs in terms of dynamic balance parameters. Overall, static and dynamic balances indicated no correlation, although minor connections were found between parameters: TT D and EA (r = 0.332; p = 0.03), TT D and MLD (r = 0.335; p = 0.02), and TT D and TD (r = 0.423; p = 0.01) Conclusions The balance evaluation in young football players should incorporate dynamic and static assessments because the postural control outcomes in these two tasks are independent. Participants underwent testing for both static and dynamic balance, revealing no noticeable differences between their preferred and nonpreferred legs.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the analysis of the postural stability and leg stiffness according to the ankle instability types and bilateral legs during drop landing. Methods: Total ...14 male athletes (n=7: mechanical ankle instability, n=7: functional ankle instability) Participants in the experiment. The leg stiffness, leg length, peak vertical force, loading rate, as well as the DPSI (medial-lateral ML, anterior-posterior AP, vertical V, dynamic postural stability index) during drop landing were calculated. To analyze the variables measured in this study, SPSS version 21.0 was used to calculate the mean and standard deviation, while a two-way ANOVA was used to evaluate the ankle instability types (MAI, FAI) with landing leg (left: dominant, right: non-dominant leg) results. Dimensionless leg stiffness and change of leg lengths showed increased with significantly in non-dominant leg and MAI type than in dominant leg and FAI type. This resulted from decrease in the leg lengths with leg stiff. MLSI showed increased with significantly in dominant leg than in non-dominant leg during drop landing. Mechanically unstable individuals demonstrated increased leg stiffness, which may increase risk of musculoskeletal. Also, mechanically unstable participants demonstrated greater loading rate variability, which may indicate difficulty mitigating landing forces with lax ligaments.
Introduction:
Obesity is a common health issue among children and adolescents leading to serious consequences later in life. There are reports on postural stability in children in relation to their ...nutritional status, but there are few studies involving a stabilometric platform.
Aim:
A comparison of postural stability in children with normal body mass and obese children.
Material and methods:
The stabilometric study involved 166 subjects. The postural stability evaluation was performed with the use of the Biodex Balance System platform. The following four postural stability tests were carried out: (1) eyes open, stable platform (SI0); (2) eyes open, level 4 unstable platform (SI4); (3) eyes open, level 4 unstable platform with the screen covered (SI4SC); (4) eyes closed, level 4 unstable platform (SI4EC), and the fall risk test (FRT).
Results and Discussion:
There were statistically significant differences found in the SI4, SI4SC, SI4EC, and FRT tests in all the inspected parameters. Only in the postural stability test on a stable platform (SI0) no differences were noted. The most marked differences between arithmetic means obtained for both groups were observed in the postural stability test on an unstable platform with closed eyes.
Conclusions:
Children with obesity are characterised by increased instability on a moving surface compared to children of normal body mass. Obese children experience the biggest problem when regaining balance with their eyes closed. It is advisable to include training on an unstable surface in physiotherapy programmes for obese children.
Traditional testing prior to return to sport following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction typically involves jump-landing tasks in the forward direction. As injury is most likely the result of ...multiplanar neuromuscular control deficits, assessment of dynamic postural stability using landing tasks that require multiplanar stabilization may be more appropriate. The purpose of this study was to examine how dynamic postural stability is affected when performing jump-landing tasks in three different directions.
Fifteen athletes 11 females (18.0 ± 3.0 years) and 4 males (18.5 ± 3.1 years) following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction performed a series of single-limb jump-landing tasks in 3 directions. Individual directional stability indices and a composite dynamic postural stability index were calculated using ground reaction force data and were compared using separate one-way repeated measures ANOVAs.
All directional stability indices demonstrated a significant main effect for jump-landing direction (medial-lateral P < 0.001, η2p = 0.95; anterior-posterior P < 0.001, η2p = 0.97; vertical P = 0.021, η2p = 0.24). The diagonal jump-landing direction produced increased medial-lateral stability and vertical stability scores, while the forward and diagonal jump-landing directions produced increased anterior-posterior stability scores. There was no significant effect for the composite dynamic stability index score.
Jump-landing direction affects dynamic postural stability in all 3 planes of movement in athletes following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Results indicate the potential need to incorporate multiple jump-landing directions to better assess dynamic postural stability prior to return to sport.
•Athletic activity requires dynamic postural stability.•Anterior cruciate ligament injury results in postural stability deficits.•Jump-landing direction has an impact on postural stability.•Multiple jump-landing tasks should be included in postural stability assessment.
Study purpose. In this work, we point out the interaction of complex postural stability (CPS) and skating agility tests among pupils in the hockey club HK Nové Zámky. We determined postural stability ...using the SEBT and agility with skating tests. We expected a significant interaction between performance in skating agility tests and CPS for both standing legs, which was most closely identified with the eight-item SEBT test. Materials and methods. The level of CPS was characterized by descriptive statistics. Laterality between right and left standing leg was assessed by t-test and Cohen’s “d”. The relationships between CPS and skating agility tests were determined by Pearson’s correlation coefficient “r”. Predictors were selected by stepwise regression. Statistical significance of differences and relationships was assessed at the 5% significance level. Results. The results showed no differences in the laterality of the CPS between the right and left standing leg. Correlation analysis demonstrated the interactions of the left and right standing leg with all skating agility tests. Stepwise regression was used to select the tests that were most identified with the performance on the eight-item SEBT test in terms of their skating expression. The Illinois test has the most significant informational power for CPS. Conclusions. The presence of positive interactions between skating agility and CPS in hockey players point to the importance of a balanced and stable stance of both legs in all directions. The perfect balance and stability of hockey players eliminates the fluctuations caused by skating movement in all directions and facilitates their execution without major changes in dynamic performance. The chance of shortening the activation time of the muscle chains involved in the technique of performing the test also increases significantly, or in the very structure of technique – the economics of ice hockey players’ skating.
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