Spaan, M.H. (2016) Evidence for a vibrotactile biofeedback system, based on pressure distribution under both feet, to improve balance. thesis, Human Movement Sciences.
Full text available on request.Abstract
Study design. Randomized controlled trial Background. Biofeedback has proven to be an effective way to improve balance in people with and without balance problems. Currently almost all studies utilizing vibrotactile feedback base their feedback on the centre of mass (COM) of the participant. Objective. The current study explores the possibility of biofeedback based on pressure distribution under both feet to improve balance in healthy subjects. Methods. Twenty healthy participants were recruited for testing and were randomly assigned to one of four different groups; one control group and three different feedback groups. For testing the participants had to keep their balance on a balance board, both with and without a blindfold, on one day each week for three weeks straight, in six conditions. The root mean square (RMS) was calculated for four variables concerning COP and COM acceleration. Three multivariate multiscale sample entropy (MMSE) variables were also calculated; Area, length and area divided by length of the COP. Furthermore the delay between movements of the centre of mass (COM) and centre of pressure (COP) was studied in both the anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) plane. A Mann-Whitney U test between the first test of the first week and the last test of the last week was conducted for both the three feedback groups combined and the control group. The Mann-Whitney U test also was performed between each test for both the feedback and the control group Results. The feedback group showed significant improvement in five out of the nine variables without a blindfold and for eight out of the nine variables with a blindfold. The control group showed no significant improvement both with and without a blindfold. However, the control group did perform better from the start of the experiment, so there might have been less room for improvement. Conclusion. Vibrotactile biofeedback based on pressure distribution under both feet shows potential for improving balance in healthy populations.
| Item Type: | Thesis (UNSPECIFIED) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Keeken, H. van and Hijmans, J.M. and Rusaw, D. |
| Faculty: | Medical Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 03 May 2022 10:25 |
| Last Modified: | 03 May 2022 10:25 |
| URI: | https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3191 |
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