Elahe Omidvar, Malihe Hadadnezhad, Mehdi Khaleghi Tazeji,
Volume 0, Issue 0 (11-2019)
Abstract
The study aimed to investigate the impact of gait retraining using verbal feedback on pain and peak vertical ground reaction force in runners with patellofemoral pain syndrome, a common treatment and prevention method for the condition that involves modifying movement patterns to ensure knee joint stability. The current research was applied, and a semi-experimental study method with a pre-test-post-test design was used. The statistical sample of this research was made up of 20 runners with patellofemoral pain syndrome who were identified by a physiotherapist using the Clark test and were randomly divided into two control and experimental groups. The experimental group performed eight weeks of running and three sessions per week along with the walking retraining protocol with verbal feedback from the researcher, while the control group did not receive any intervention to their exercise. The variables studied in this research were the pain factor and the peak vertical ground reaction force, which were recorded respectively using a visual analog scale and a Bartek dynamometer with a sampling frequency of 1000 Hz in both pre- and post-test stages. The results of the the mixed analysis of variance test with repeated measurements showed that the interactive effect of time on the group was significant and, the gait retraining protocol by verbal feedback reduced pain (P=0.000) and the peak vertical ground reaction force in the experimental group (P=0.003). The existence of differences in pain variables and peak ground reaction force during running confirms the need to use different strategies in the training of athletes. It is suggested that trainers have a special look at the gait retraining approach by verbal feedback to correct the movement pattern while running, in rehabilitation, and specialized exercises.
Hossein Ahadi, Mehdi Khaleghi Tazeji, Hassan Sadeghi, Rasuol Yaali,
Volume 0, Issue 0 (11-2019)
Abstract
Introduction: Balance is a key component of motor control and plays a crucial role in maintaining postural stability during dynamic tasks such as landing and changing direction. Time to stability is a sensitive indicator of neuromuscular efficiency in restoring balance after mechanical perturbations.
Purpose of study: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of balance training with and without stroboscopic glasses on TTS in physically active individuals.
Methods: In this Randomized Controlled Trial study, 39 physically active men aged 18–30 years were randomly assigned to three groups: balance training with stroboscopic glasses, conventional balance training, and control. Participants completed six weeks of progressive balance exercises. TTS during single-leg landings from 30, 50, and 70 cm was measured using a force plate. Data were analyzed using ANCOVA and Bonferroni post hoc tests with a significance level of 0.05.
Results: The results of the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) indicated that both training groups showed a significant improvement in time to stabilization compared with the control group (p < 0.05).A significant main effect of group was observed at 30 cm (η² = 0.34, F = 8.40, p = 0.001), 50 cm (η² = 0.25, F = 5.33, p = 0.010), and 70 cm (η² = 0.30, F = 6.96, p = 0.003).
The reduction in time to stabilization was greater in the stroboscopic eyewear group at the 50- and 70-cm landing heights and was accompanied by larger effect sizes. At the 30-cm height, both training groups demonstrated similar improvements.
Conclusion: Intentional visual perturbation using stroboscopic glasses enhances reliance on proprioceptive and vestibular inputs, improving dynamic balance control. Integrating stroboscopic glasses into balance training programs may be an effective strategy to enhance performance and reduce the risk of lower-limb injuries in athletes.
Keywords: Balance training, stroboscopic glasses, time to stability
