30 Wobble board rehabilitation program improves star excursion balance test-posteromedial reach direction in division i collegiate athletes with chronic ankle instability. (12th October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Linens, SW; Brown, C; Hawkins, A; Leon, A; Prall, A
• Is Part Of: British journal of sports medicine. Volume 49(2015)Supplement 1
• Page Start: A12
• Page End: A12
• Publication Date: 2015-10-12
• Subjects: Sports medicine -- Periodicals; 617.1027
• DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2015-095573.30
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-3674

Abstract

Abstract : Background: It is important for clinicians to find a simple yet effective rehabilitation method to improve balance in patients suffering with chronic ankle instability (CAI). A wobble board program may be a useful intervention to improve dynamic balance. The Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) is a dynamic measure of balance and is sensitive to improvements in balance following rehabilitation. Objective: To determine if SEBT-posteromedial reach direction improved in Division I athletes with CAI following a four-week wobble board rehabilitation program. Design: Randomised-controlled trial. Setting: Athletic Training room. Patients: Eighteen patients with CAI were included; rehabilitation group: (n = 9, height = 174.76 ± 8.60 cm, body mass = 73.51 ± 6.89 kg, age = 20 ± 1 years); control group: (n = 9, height = 174.00 ± 6.88 cm, mass = 62.78 ± 5.15 kg, age = 20 ± 1 years). Interventions: The rehabilitation group completed the protocol three days a week for four weeks. Each session consisted of five 40 s sets of clockwise/counter-clockwise rotations changing directions every 10 s. Progressions were made as needed. The control group continued with normal activities. Main outcome measurements: The dependent variable was SEBT-posteromedial reach distance score (three trials averaged/normalised to leg length). Means ± standard deviations were calculated. A 2 × 2 repeated-measures ANOVA analysed changes in the dependent variable. Tukey Honest Significant Difference was used for post hoc comparisons to explain a significant interaction. Alpha level was set a priori (p = 0.05). Results: Means ± standard deviations for rehabilitation group: pre-test = 0.93 ± 0.08 and post-test = 1.02 ± 0.11. Means ± standard deviations for control group: pre-test = 0.99 ± 0.17 and post-test = 0.97 ± 0.15. We observed a significant interaction between test (pre/post) and group (rehabilitation/control) (p = 0.005). Post hoc analysis revealed a statistically significant difference between pre- and post-tests of rehabilitation group (p < 0.01), but not of control group (p > 0.05). Conclusions: A four-week wobble board rehabilitation program improved dynamic balance as measured by the SEBT-posteromedial reach direction scores in Division I collegiate athletes suffering with CAI.