A Pilot Study to Investigate the Effect of Motor Imagery on Dynamic Balance of Asymptomatic Students

Tunku Abdul Rahman University (UTAR)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Balance

Treatments: Other: Mental Motor Imagery

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03376334

U/SERC/40/2014

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study intended to investigate the effect of imagining a movement task on dynamic balance of sedentary university students. Two groups with good mental imaging ability were studied; one group receiving instructions on mental imagery and the other served as a control receiving no particular intervention. Any improvement in the balance ability was measured using the star excursion balance test (SEBT); for it has good to excellent test-retest reliability and validity as established by several researchers.

Full description

Motor imagery (MI) refers to a cognitive process during which the representation of a specific motor action is internally simulated without producing an overt body movement. Motor imagery is now widely used as a technique to enhance motor learning and to enhance recovery during rehabilitation of various conditions such as sports injuries, stroke, etc. Several studies have also shown improvement in strength, function, and use of both upper and lower extremities in chronic stroke. Present study aimed to identify its effectiveness in improving dynamic balance of individuals without any clinical problem. Such improvement, if any, may be useful in early balance and proprioceptive training during the maximum protection phase of joint injuries, fractures, or even rehabilitation of other clinical conditions affecting balance. It may have benefits in maintaining / improving movements in athletes after injuries as well as the general less active population, including the elderly population.

Enrollment: 25 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 25 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• No prior involvement in any physical or mental balance training
• Good mental imaging ability as determined using the motor imagery questionnaire

Exclusion criteria

• neuromusculoskeletal condition that may alter balance
• vestibular disorders or VBA related disorders
• painful conditions of the body
• H/o seizure, schizophrenia, meningitis, migraine, diplopia, spinal injuries, lower extremity injuries

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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25 participants in 2 patient groups

Motor Imagery (MI)

Experimental group

Description:

Those meeting the inclusion criteria were selected (n=22). Each participant was necessary to complete the Movement Imagery Questionnaire in a quiet room. Finally, each participant assigned a score by using a 7-point scale regarding the ease/difficulty associated with representing each movement mentally. Next their baseline balance measurement was performed using the SEBT. Later this group had 9 motor imagery sessions, each session for 15 minutes, 3 sessions (alternate days) per week for a total of 3 weeks. Reassessment of balance was done after every 3 sessions.

Treatment:

Other: Mental Motor Imagery

Control (C)

No Intervention group

Description:

Those meeting the inclusion criteria were selected (n=10). Baseline measurement of SEBT was done on day 1, end of week 1, end of week 2 and end of week 3.