Figure Skater Level Moderates Balance Training

Abstract

It was suggested that baseline levels of postural control in figure skaters might influence the effectiveness of neuromuscular training. The aims of the present study were to investigate the baseline association of skater skill level with standard center of pressure metrics and time to stabilization, and to determine if skill level influenced the effectiveness of a 6-week neuromuscular training program. There was no main effect of skill level for any baseline center of pressure metric for either test. There was no main effect of skill level on the percent change in any metric for the single leg stance following training. However, skill level did influence landing test outcome measures. The difference in percent change of root mean squared was evident for the mediolateral (low: 24.5±16.50% vs. high: 2.42±14.99%) and anterior-posterior (low: 6.66±9.21% vs. high:  − 4.03±5.91%) axes. Percent change in anterior-posterior time to stabilization also differed by skill level (low:  − 0.73%±4.74 vs. high:  − 5.61%±2.76). Note that this study was underpowered with 26 subjects and 14 subjects contributing to baseline and post-training assessments, respectively. Though no baseline differences in postural control were observed, compared with low skill levels, high skill levels benefitted more from training.

Key words

neuromuscular training - postural control - center of pressure - center of mass - force plates

• References

• 1 Bloch RM. Figure skating injuries. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am 1999; 10: 177-188 viii
• 2 Colby SM, Hintermeister RA, Torry MR, Steadman JR. Lower limb stability with ACL impairment. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1999; 29: 444-451 discussion 444-452
• 3 Cornilleau-Peres V, Shabana N, Droulez J, Goh JC, Lee GS, Chew PT. Measurement of the visual contribution to postural steadiness from the COP movement: methodology and reliability. Gait Posture 2005; 22: 96-106
• 4 Dubravcic-Simunjak S, Pecina M, Kuipers H, Morgan J, Haspl M. The incidence of injuries in elite junior figure skaters. Am J Sports Med 2003; 31: 511-517
• 5 Fortin JD, Roberts D. Competitive figure skating injuries. Pain Physician 2003; 6: 313-318
• 6 Harriss DJ, Atkinson G. Update – ethical standards in sport and exercise science research. Int J Sports Med 2011; 32: 819-821
• 7 Hasan SS, Robin DW, Szurkus DC, Ashmead DH, Peterson SW, Shiavi RG. Simultaneous measurement of body center of pressure and center of gravity during upright stance. Part I: Methods. Gait Posture 1996; 4: 1-10
• 8 Jaworski CA, Ballantine-Talmadge S. On thin ice: preparing and caring for the ice skater during competition. Curr Sports Med Rep 2008; 7: 133-137
• 9 Johansson R, Magnusson M. Determination of characteristic parameters of human postural dynamics. Acta Otolaryngol Suppl 1989; 468: 221-225
• 10 Kim GT, Ferdjallah M, Harris GF. Fast computational analysis of sway area using center of pressure data in normal children and children with cerebral palsy. Am J Biomed Sci 2009; 1: 364-372
• 11 King DL. Performing triple and quadruple figure skating jumps: implications for training. Can J Appl Physiol 2005; 30: 743-753
• 12 Kovacs EJ, Birmingham TB, Forwell L, Litchfield RB. Effect of training on postural control in figure skaters: a randomized controlled trial of neuromuscular versus basic off-ice training programs. Clin J Sport Med 2004; 14: 215-224
• 13 Lipetz J, Kruse RJ. Injuries and special concerns of female figure skaters. Clin Sports Med 2000; 19: 369-380
• 14 McKeon PO, Hertel J. Systematic review of postural control and lateral ankle instability, Part I: Can deficits be detected with instrumented testing?. J Athl Train 2008; 43: 293-304
• 15 Nikolic A, Baltzer AW, Kramer R, Liebau C. Injuries specific to ice skating – documentation of the injuries of competitive athletes during a pre-season training camp. Sportverletz Sportschaden 1998; 12: 142-146
• 16 Olsen OE, Myklebust G, Engebretsen L, Holme I, Bahr R. Exercises to prevent lower limb injuries in youth sports: cluster randomised controlled trial. BMJ 2005; 330: 449
• 17 Porter EB, Young CC, Niedfeldt MW, Gottschlich LM. Sport-specific injuries and medical problems of figure skaters. WMJ 2007; 106: 330-334
• 18 Ross SE, Guskiewicz KM. Time to stabilization: a method for analyzing dynamic postural stability. Athletic Therapy Today 2003; 8: 37-39
• 19 Ross SE, Guskiewicz KM, Gross MT, Yu B. Balance measures for discriminating between functionally unstable and stable ankles. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2009; 41: 399-407
• 20 Ross SE, Guskiewicz KM, Yu B. Single-leg jump-landing stabilization times in subjects with functionally unstable ankles. J Athl Train 2005; 40: 298-304
• 21 USFS . The 2010 Official Figure Skating Rule Book. Colorado Springs: U.S. Figure Skating; 2009