scholarly journals The Immediate Effect of Static Hamstring Stretching on Dynamic Balance and Gait Biomechanical Variables in Athletes With Hamstring Tightness: A Preliminary Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parsa Salemi ◽  
Azadeh Shadmehr ◽  
Sara Fereydounnia
Keyword(s):  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Female Athletes ◽  
Center Of Pressure ◽  
Dynamic Balance ◽  
Muscle Length ◽  
Total Force ◽  
Balance Task ◽  
Hamstring Flexibility ◽  
Straight Leg Raise ◽  
Stance Duration

Introduction: Flexibility is an essential component of muscle function, and insufficient muscle flexibility may lead to muscle injuries. Decreased hamstring flexibility is one of the frequently reported risk factors for a hamstring strain and diminished athletic performance. Stretching is a commonly used intervention for increasing muscle length. There is a lack of evidence concerning the possible effects of hamstring stretching in balance and gait biomechanics. So, this study was designed to investigate the potential effects of static hamstring stretching on the range of motion (ROM), dynamic balance, and biomechanical variables of gait in athletes with hamstring tightness. Materials and Methods: This study is a single-group, pretest-posttest clinical trial performed on semi-professional female athletes. Twelve female athletes aged 20 to 35 years with bilateral hamstring tightness received a single session of unilateral static hamstring stretching on their randomly selected side. All subjects were assessed for straight leg raise, popliteal angle (using standard goniometry), perceived hamstring tightness (using a visual analog scale). They completed single-leg standing and 15-m walking and running tasks before and immediately after the intervention. The biomechanical parameters, including gait-line length, swing duration, and stance duration in walking tasks, maximum total force and mean total force in running task, and center of pressure (COP) displacement and standard deviation during balance task were measured using OpenGo sensor insole system. The pre-post values were compared using the paired sample t-test, and the level of significance was 0.05. Results: The values for straight leg raise and popliteal angle significantly increased (P<0.05) compared with the baseline, while perceived tightness significantly decreased following stretching (P<0.001). The amplitude (P₌0.006) and standard deviation (P₌0.016) of COP displacement in the mediolateral direction during the single leg stance balance task were significantly decreased after the intervention. Stance duration in slow walking (P₌0.004), as well as stance duration (P₌0.012) and swing duration (P<0.001) in fast walking, were significantly decreased (P<0.05) after stretching. No change was observed in gait biomechanical variables during the running test (P>0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that static hamstring stretching can be a promising intervention not just for increasing hamstring flexibility but also for improving balance ability.

Differences in Static- and Dynamic-Balance Task Performance After 4 Weeks of Intrinsic-Foot-Muscle Training: The Short-Foot Exercise Versus the Towel-Curl Exercise

2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 327-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott K. Lynn ◽  
Ricardo A. Padilla ◽  
Kavin K.W. Tsang
Keyword(s):  
Task Performance ◽  
Outcome Measures ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Center Of Pressure ◽  
Dynamic Balance ◽  
Weight Bearing ◽  
Static Balance ◽  
Balance Test ◽  
Balance Task

Context:Proper functioning of the intrinsic foot musculature (IFM) is essential in maintaining the integrity of the medial longitudinal arch (MLA). Improper functioning of the IFM leads to excessive pronation of the foot, which has been linked to various pathologies. Therefore, training the IFM to avoid excessive pronation may help prevent some of these pathologies; however, it is not clear how to train these muscles optimally.Objective:To investigate the effects of 2 different types of IFM training on the height of the MLA and static- and dynamic-balance task performance.Design:Randomized controlled trial, repeated-measures mixed-model design.Setting:University biomechanics laboratory for testing and a home-based training program.Participants:24 healthy, university-age volunteers (3 groups of 8) with no history of major lower limb pathology or balance impairment.Interventions:One experimental group performed 4 wk of the short-foot exercise (SFE) and the other performed 4 wk of the towel-curl exercise (TCE). Participants were asked to perform 100 repetitions of their exercise per day.Main Outcome Measures:Navicular height during weight bearing, the total range of movement of the center of pressure (COP) in the mediolateral (ML) direction for a static-balance test and a dynamic-balance test.Results:There were no differences in the navicular height or static-balance tests. For the dynamic-balance test, all groups decreased the ML COP movement on the dominant limb by a small amount (~5 mm); however, the SFE group was able to decrease COP movement much more than the TCE group in the nondominant limb.Conclusions:The SFE appeared to train the IFM more effectively than the TCE; however, there were differing results between the dominant and nondominant legs. These imbalances need to be taken into consideration by clinicians.

Single-Leg Balance Performance in Sub-Elite Young Soccer Players and Swimmers as a Function of Age and Sports Experience

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 374-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Leinen ◽  
Thomas Muehlbauer ◽  
Stefan Panzer
Keyword(s):  
Center Of Pressure ◽  
Dynamic Balance ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Force Plate ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Functional Specialization ◽  
Balance Performance ◽  
Balance Test ◽  
Balance Task ◽  
Anterior Posterior

The present study investigated if accumulated, advanced, regular soccer practice (balance-demanding exercise) compared to regular swim practice (non-balance–demanding exercise) induces a more pronounced functional specialization in postural control. Therefore, single-leg balance performance in sub-elite young soccer players (under 13 [U13]: n = 16; U15: n = 18; U19: n = 15), and sub-elite young swimmers (U13: n = 7; U15: n = 4; U19: n = 5) was tested in different balance task conditions (i.e., static and dynamic balance on firm and foam surface). All athletes practiced 3–10 times per week. Single-leg balance of the dominant and non-dominant leg was measured using a force plate. The standard deviation of the center of pressure displacements in anterior-posterior and medio-lateral directions were used as dependent variables. Irrespective of age groups and type of sport, the results failed to indicate significant leg differences in single-leg balance performance. The soccer players showed significant better single-leg balance performance in anterior-posterior direction in the dynamic balance test on the firm and foam surface compared to the swimmers. Functional specialization was accompanied by the type of sport but not by accumulated practice.

scholarly journals Validity and Application of a Portable Force Platform in Assessment of Dynamic Balance Ability

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinpeng Lin ◽  
Fang Wang ◽  
Yaqi Zhao ◽  
Junjie Li ◽  
Jixin Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Postural Sway ◽  
Center Of Pressure ◽  
Dynamic Balance ◽  
Intraclass Correlation ◽  
Force Platform ◽  
Balance Assessment ◽  
Visual Evaluation ◽  
Suitable Alternative ◽  
Balance Task ◽  
Balance Ability

Abstract Background: Dynamic balance assessment, which requires a specialized device, is crucial in clinic to evaluate postural control comprehensively. The Nintendo Wii Balance Board (WBB), a portable force platform may be a suitable alternative to the expensive “gold standard”- the laboratory-grade force platform (FP). However, its validity in assessment of dynamic balance is still unclear. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the validity of the WBB in dynamic balance assessment.Methods: We performed three static and dynamic balance tests, including open eyes single-leg stand, close eyes single-leg stand and Limitation of Stability, on the WBB for 34 healthy participants. Trajectories of center of pressure (COP) were recorded synchronously and used to compute seven characteristics. To quantify the consistency of the two devices, we used intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) as well as visual evaluation of Bland–Altman plots.Results: The data showed a high consistency between the two devices (ICC = 0.92-0.98) under static and dynamic balance assessments, and the visual evaluation result from Bland–Altman plot was acceptable between device agreement. Moreover, in the dynamic balance task (Limitation of Stability test), the typical ranges of COP-based postural sway distances for healthy adults in medial-lateral and anterior-posterior measured by the WBB were 27.17 ± 3.88 cm and 21.13 ± 2.33 cm, respectively, indicating the validity of the WBB in assessing COP under both static or dynamic balance tasks. Conclusion: With the advantages of portability and low-cost, the valid WBB can facilitate the popularization of quantitative balance evaluation to basic hospitals. Our results provide valuable reference for clinical evaluation of balance ability.

scholarly journals The effects of leg preference and leg dominance on static and dynamic balance performance in highly-trained tennis players

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. e0259854
Author(s):  
Žiga Kozinc ◽  
Nejc Šarabon
Keyword(s):  
Center Of Pressure ◽  
Dynamic Balance ◽  
Stability Index ◽  
Static Balance ◽  
Balance Performance ◽  
Tennis Players ◽  
Balance Task ◽  
Time To Stabilization ◽  
Leg Dominance ◽  
Anterior Posterior

In this study, 90 (51 males, 39 females) tennis players performed single-leg quiet stance and single-leg landing tasks. For the static standing task, center-of pressure (CoP) velocities, amplitudes, frequency and area were calculated. For the landing tasks, time to stabilization as well as dynamic postural stability index were considered. The analysis of differences between the legs was done based on two methods for a priori determination of leg preference, one based on the preference of kicking a ball and one based on the preference for single-leg jumping. An additional analysis was done based on the leg dominance (determined post hoc), based on the observed performance of the tasks. In case of the classification based on kicking a ball, there was a statistically significantly lower CoP anterior-posterior velocity and anterior-posterior amplitude in static balance task (p ≤ 0.017; 0.17 ≤ d ≤ 0.28) for the preferred leg. The CoP frequency was higher in the preferred leg for both directions (p ≤ 0.002; 0.10 ≤ d ≤ 0.22). For the landing task, CoP medial-lateral time to stabilization was statistically significantly shorter for the preferred leg (0.28 ± 0.38 s) compared to the non-preferred leg (0.47 ± 0.60 s) (p = 0.012; d = 0.38). There were no differences between the legs for the landing task. Moreover, there were no differences between the legs when we used the preference based on jumping for either of the tasks (d ≤ 0.14). The differences between legs in terms of observed dominance were larger than the differences based on the preference, which stresses the need for clear distinction of limb preference and limb dominance in research and practice. Regarding the effect of leg preference, small differences in static balance may exist between the legs (when the preference is based on kicking a ball).

scholarly journals Effects of white Gaussian noise on dynamic balance in healthy young adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ziyou Zhou ◽  
Can Wu ◽  
Zhen Hu ◽  
Yujuan Chai ◽  
Kai Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Gaussian Noise ◽  
Center Of Pressure ◽  
Dynamic Balance ◽  
White Gaussian Noise ◽  
Fluctuation Analysis ◽  
Balance Performance ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Crossover Point ◽  
Short Time

AbstractIt has been known that short-time auditory stimulation can contribute to the improvement of the balancing ability of the human body. The present study aims to explore the effects of white Gaussian noise (WGN) of different intensities and frequencies on dynamic balance performance in healthy young adults. A total of 20 healthy young participants were asked to stand at a dynamic balance force platform, which swung along the x-axis with an amplitude of ± 4° and frequency of 1 Hz. Their center of pressure (COP) trajectories were recorded when they were stimulated by WGN of different intensities (block 1) and different frequencies (block 2). A traditional method and detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) were used for data preprocessing. The authors found that only with 75–85 dB WGN, the COP parameters improved. WGN frequency did not affect the dynamic balance performance of all the participants. The DFA results indicated stimulation with 75 dB WGN enhanced the short-term index and reduced the crossover point. Stimulation with 500 Hz and 2500 Hz WGN significantly enhanced the short-term index. These results suggest that 75 dB WGN and 500 Hz and 2500 Hz WGN improved the participants’ dynamic balance performance. The results of this study indicate that a certain intensity of WGN is indispensable to achieve a remarkable improvement in dynamic balance. The DFA results suggest that WGN only affected the short-term persistence, indicating the potential of WGN being considered as an adjuvant therapy in low-speed rehabilitation training.

scholarly journals Effects of a 6-week core stabilization training program on dynamic balance and trunk stabilization endurance of horse riders

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas H. K. Lam ◽  
Wai Man Lau ◽  
Tin Lap Lau
Keyword(s):  
Training Program ◽  
Dynamic Balance ◽  
Measurement Tool ◽  
Balance Test ◽  
Core Stabilization ◽  
Balance Task ◽  
Postural Stabilization ◽  
Left And Right ◽  
Back Extensor ◽  
Swiss Ball

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a 6-week core stabilization training program (CSTP) in improving dynamic balance and back-extensor endurance of horse riders; and develop a measurement tool in assessing the dynamic postural stabilization endurance for horse riders. Twelve male horse riders (age: 23.58 ± 1.93 years; height: 165.09 ± 4.60 cm; weight: 56.53 ± 4.75 kg; experience in horse racing: 1.75 ± 0.34 years) completed 12 training sessions in 6 weeks. Subjects performed the CSTP with two progressions. CSTP started with the basic consciousness activation exercises, and then eliminated visual feedback in dynamic balance task on unstable surfaces and finished with switching the center of gravity. Moderate-to-large difference was demonstrated in the Y-Balance test scores for right leg (102.81 ± 8.32 vs 106.471 ± 4.35 cm, d = 0.55, 95% CL 0.00 to 1.08) and left leg (102.04 ± 3.20 vs 106.29 ± 3.62 cm, d = 1.25, 95% CL 0.41 to 2.05) following 6 weeks CSTP. However, trivial to small differences was reported between left and right leg in pre (d = 0.12, 95% CL − 0.49 to 0.73) and post 6-week CSTP (d = 0.04, 95% CL − 0.69 to 0.78). Biering–Sørensen test (BST) shows largely greater performance after 6-week CSTP (98.3 ± 30.1 vs 131.8 ± 19.0 s, d = 1.33, 95% CL 0.54–2.09). A novel measurement, Swiss ball four-point kneeling test was shown to be correlated with the change in BST (r = 0.633).

Center of Pressure Trajectory and Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters When Walking with Limited Knee Flexion

2021 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 1490-1493
Author(s):  
Seobin Choi ◽  
Jieon Lee ◽  
Gwanseob Shin
Keyword(s):  
Knee Flexion ◽  
Stance Phase ◽  
Center Of Pressure ◽  
Dynamic Balance ◽  
Left Knee ◽  
Step Width ◽  
Normal Walking ◽  
Gait Stability ◽  
Gait Parameters ◽  
Stiff Knee

Stiff-knee, which indicates reduced range of knee flexion, may decrease gait stability. Although it is closely related to an increase in fall risk, the effect of limited knee flexion on the balance capacity during walking has not been well studied. This study aimed at examining how walking with limited knee flexion would influence the center of pressure (COP) trajectory and spatiotemporal gait parameters. Sixteen healthy young participants conducted four different walking conditions: normal walking and walking with limited knee flexion of their left knee up to 40 and 20 degrees, respectively. Results show that the participants walked significantly (p<0.05) slower with shorter stride length, wider step width, less cadence, and decreased stance phase when walking with limited knee flexion, compared to normal walking. The increase in the asymmetry and variability of the COP was also observed. It indicates that limited knee flexion during walking might affect the dynamic balance.

Self-Powered Multifunctional Instrumented Knee Implant

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohsen Safaei ◽  
Steven R. Anton
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Energy Harvesting ◽  
Knee Replacement ◽  
Center Of Pressure ◽  
Experimental Testing ◽  
Sensory System ◽  
Implant Design ◽  
Total Force ◽  
Self Powered

Computational modeling, instrumented linkages, optical technologies, MRI, and radiographic techniques have been widely used to study knee motion after total knee replacement (TKR) surgery. Information provided by these methods has helped designers to develop implants with better clinical performance and surgeons to obtain an improved understanding of the stability and mobility of the joint. Correspondingly, overall patient satisfaction with respect to the reduction in pain and recovery of normal functioning of the joint has been improving. However, about 20% of patients are still not fully satisfied with their surgical outcomes. The main obstacle in the current state-of-the-art is that a comprehensive post-operative understanding of knee balance is still unavailable, mostly due to a lack of in vivo data collected from the joint after surgery. This work presents an attempt to develop a self-powered instrumented knee implant for in vivo data acquisition. The knee sensory system in this study utilizes several embedded piezoelectric transducers in the tibial bearing of the knee replacement in order to provide sensing and energy harvesting capabilities. Through a series of analytical modeling, finite element simulation, and experimental testing, the performance of the suggested system is evaluated and a dimensionally optimized design of an instrumented TKR is achieved. More specifically, a comprehensive platform is established in order to combine the knowledge of embedded piezoelectric sensors and energy harvesters, musculoskeletal modeling of the knee joint, multiphysics finite element modeling, additive manufacturing techniques, image processing, and experimental knee loading simulation in order to achieve the experimentally validated and optimized instrumented knee implant design. The cumulative work presented in this article encompasses three main studies performed on the sensing performance of the proposed design: first, preliminary parametric studies of the effect of local dimensional and material parameters on the electromechanical behavior of the embedded sensory system; second, investigation of the ability to sense total force and center of pressure location; and third, evaluation of an enhanced system with the ability to sense compartmental forces and contact locations. Additionally, the energy harvesting capacity of the system is investigated to ensure the achievement of a fully self-powered sensory system. Results obtained from the experimental analysis of the system demonstrate the successful sensing and energy harvesting performance of the designs achieved in this study.

Relationships among Perceptual-Motor Measures and their Correlations with Academic Readiness for Preschool Children

1974 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 467-473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brad S. Chissom ◽  
Jerry R. Thomas ◽  
Delores G. Collins
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Balance ◽  
Kindergarten Children ◽  
Academic Readiness ◽  
Multiple Correlation ◽  
Balance Task ◽  
Motor Tests ◽  
Academic Measures ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Ball Test

Kindergarten children ( N = 39) were administered 4 perceptual-motor tests and 2 academic measures in order to assess the relationship among the perceptual-motor tests and between the perceptual-motor and academic tests. Results indicated that the Shape-0 Ball Test and Frostig test were highly correlated and were good predictors of the academic measures. The dynamic balance task (stabilometer) correlated moderately with the Shape-O Ball Test, the Frostig, and the academic criteria. The Oseretsky tests did not correlate significantly with any of the other measures. Stepwise multiple correlation indicated that combining the perceptual-motor tests slightly increased their ability to predict each of the academic criteria.

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