Fig 1.
Biomechanical characteristics of the two selected balance trainings: the sensorimotor training (SMT, left) and reactive balance training (RBT, right) intervention.
During SMT, the center of mass (COM) needs to be kept as still as possible and stability is reached when the COM stays solidly with the body as an inverted pendulum rotating around the ankle joint. During RBT, after each perturbation of the support surface, the COM needs to be actively relocated through the proximal segment to keep a stable equilibrium.
Fig 2.
Changes in neuromuscular activation and postural sway in response to both interventions.
(B) Changes in thigh (upper row) and shank (middle row) CCIs as well as COPml/postural sway (bottom row) in response to the training interventions SMT (grey square) and RBT (black triangle) in (A) the three different test paradigms on the spinning top (ST, left column), on the swinging platform (SP, middle column) and during the transfer condition with cognitive interference (CI, right column). Adaptations in all parameters were greater in the SMT-group than in the RBT-group for ST, whereas during SP, adaptations were greater in the RBT-group than in the SMT-group. For CI, a greater reduction in COPml displacement was observed in the RBT-group: it is assumed that the higher decrease in thigh CCI (dashed box) led to the better functional balance performance.
Table 1.
Pre and post values of the co-contraction indices (CCIs) and the centre of pressure displacement (COP) during Protocol 1 on the spinning top (ST) are illustrated for the two groups RBT and SMT.
Table 2.
Pre and post values of the co-contraction indices (CCIs) and the platform sway path during Protocol 2 on the swinging platform (SP) are illustrated for the two groups RBT and SMT.
Table 3.
Pre and post values of the co-contraction indices (CCIs) and the centre of pressure displacement (COP) during Protocol 3 transfer task with cognitive interference (CI) are illustrated for the two groups RBT and SMT.