The Effect of Programed Physical Activity Measured with Levels of Body Balance Maintenance

Background

Body balance is defined as the organism’s ability to maintain the body’s position without the aid of another person, excluding uncontrolled falls [1]. In the evaluation of body balance various methods and testing instruments are used, including the observation of oculovestibular reflexes, vestibulospinal reflexes, and tests using posturography [2,3]. In academic research in general the sensitivity in the behavior of the analyser of balance in various conditions of an external and internal environment has been touched on [4].

Far less often is there an evaluation of exercise programs that aim to stimulate the forming of the abilities to maintain the balance carried out [5]. It is known that better body balance allows one to obtain better results in sport. This is linked to the necessity to find methods of stimulation and training programs that would increase this ability. At present we know standard training programs for body balance but we also know that the effectiveness of these programs is not always satisfactory, hence also the global search for new forms of body balance stimulation. Recent years have seen new solutions, in which a vibration platform has been utilized allowing for a stimulation of the system of balance. Academic reports allow one to speculate on an appropriate program of vibration exercises influencing the shaping of the ability to maintain body balance [6,7]. Such a program may be prepared through using a vibration platform sports training [8]. The vibration platform creates muscle-nerve stimulation through mechanical vibration at an appropriate frequency (Hz) and amplitude (mm). The vibration brought about by this device causes a natural contraction of the muscles in all the parts of the body involved in the training program. The use of mechanical vibrations in training leads to an increase in the gravitational burdening for the muscles. In addition, this leads to the occurrence of reflex tension of the muscle in reaction to vibration [9]. The vibrations that are the consequence of vibration training influence, by means of proprioceptors, the stimulation of the circumferential and central nerve system. At the same time it leads to a weakening in the mechanism of braking caused by the antagonistic muscles. The alternating mechanism of arousal and braking leads, as a consequence, to the generation of greater values of muscle strength.

Testing the effectiveness of the action of the vibration platform amongst competitive professionals and amateurs in a vertical jump test showed an improvement in the value of the maximum strength of the skeletal muscles [10,11]. Issurin [12] has observed that as a result of standard training the increase in the value of maximum strength of the skeletal muscles was 16%, while as a result of applying a vibration platform the increase in the strength value was 50%. In addition, he observed an improvement in the mobility of joints as well as a change in the composition and mass of the body [13,14]. There were also noted metabolic changes in the form of a reduction in the uptake of oxygen by 50% in the test of maximum physical exertion (the so-called “test until refusal to continue the effort”) [15]. In addition, there was an increase in the volume of blood within the working muscles, and even changes in the concentration of testosterone and the growth hormone [16,17].

The aim of the research was an evaluation of 2 training programs covering the same standard physical activity in the initial stage (warm-up) and the main (motor exercises) as well as a separate end part in Program A of stretching and in Program B of vibration training designed to improve the level of body balance.

Material and Methods

TRAINING PROCEDURE:

The impact of the programed motor exercises on the level of the female student body balance was evaluated in a carefully programed experiment involving an 8-week training program, 3 times a week, for 60 minutes according to the 2 programmes A and B. These programs had a joint introductory and main part though with a different finish. The initial stage lasted 15 minutes and entailed a warm-up preparing the participant for the increasing main part, which lasted 30 minutes and covered balance exercises, exercises shaping the muscle strength of the lower limbs, the abductors and adductors of the lower limbs, and exercises shaping the stomach muscles and those of the extensors and flexors of the shoulders in supporting exercises [4]. The end part lasting 15 minutes involved a standard program: A) stretching and in the experimental programme B) exercises on a vibration platform. The frequency of the vibrations was increased every 2 weeks, starting from 5 Hz (for the first 2 weeks) to 20 Hz (for the final 2 weeks). The amplitude of the vibrations was increased from 3 to 10 mm. Such a regulation was dictated by the safety and effectiveness of the exercises carried out with limited scopes of the parameters above [10,18]. The intensity of the motor exercises was directed by means of music utilizing a Beat Per Minute (BPM) device. In the initial stage 130–140 BPM was used, while in the main part 130–150 BPM was used.

In the end part of the training on the vibration platform 120–130 BPM was used. Relaxing music was used for the stretching. Students from Group C exercised according to program A, while those from Group E according to program B.

Evaluation of the ability to maintain body balance was carried out by means of tests:

The tests were conducted 3 times: the first test was carried out prior the experiment, the second after a month, and the third test after 2 months of the experiment’s duration.

To verify the significance of the differences between the groups C and E, in which various forms of programmed exercises were employed, variants of the ANOVA System instrument analysis were used with repeated measurements. The assumptions of a model on the uniformity of variants and configurations were verified by means of the tests of Cochran et al. [19]. The effect of repeated measurements was given the name Training* and related to their change in state prior to the commencement of the experiment, to the states after 1 and 2 months of its duration.

: In Table 2 are presented the mean values and standard deviation of the developed surface [mm2] in the test with open eyes in the test group categories with regard to various methods of motor training.

Analysis of the variants of the ANOVA system of repeated measurements for the field of changed developed surface [mm2] showed the existence of a statistically significant effect of training in relation to both groups (Table 3).

The interesting effect from the point of view of the aim of this work is that the interaction of the type of training applied in relation to the various research groups (Figure 1) did not turn out to be statistically significant (p=0.5154).

In Table 4 are presented the mean values of the variable field of developed surface [mm2] in the successive tests in the categories of affiliation to the research test groups. In the column (6) are given the values of the testing function (F) and the tested probability (p) for the planned comparisons of the field of developed surface [mm2] between the group C and the group E in the successive tests that occurred.

It was found that the group C and the group E do not significantly differ in terms of the values of the field of developed surface in test 1 preceding the commencement of the training cycle. The comparison of the group after a month of training (test 2) equally did not show significant differences in the values of the field of developed surface between group C and the group E. Requiring analysis is the fact of a statistically significant regression (p=0.0030) in the results between the first and second stage of the testing both in the control group as in the experimental group. The testing in the third test again did not show significant differences between the group C and the group E for the end of the training cycle; but the fall in the value of the field of developed surface in the experimental group between tests 2 and 3 (p=0.0055) was significant.

: The mean values and standard deviation of the field of developed surface [mm2] in a test following 7 turns in the categories of the tested groups in relation to the various methods of motor training employed are presented in Table 5.

Analysis of the variance of the ANOVA system of repeated measurements for the varied developed field surface [mm2] in a test following 7 turns showed the existence of a statistically significant effect of the training concerning both of the test groups are presented in Table 6.

The interesting effect in relation to the aim of the work – the interaction of the applied form of training with regard to the various test groups (Figure 2) – did not turn out to be statistically significant (p=0.1163).

Table 7 presents the mean values of the variable field of developed surface [mm2] in the test after turns in the successive tests in the categories of affiliation to test groups. Column (6) gives the values of the testing function (F) and the test probability (p) for the planned comparisons of the Field of developed surface [mm2] in the test after turns between the control and experimental groups in the successively conducted tests.

The results of the analysis showed that the group C and the group E did not differ significantly in relation to the value of the field of developed surface after turns in the first test that preceding the commencement of the training cycle.

Comparison of the groups after a month of training – test 2 – equally did not display significant differences in the values of the field of developed surface between the group C and the group E. We cannot therefore talk of the appearance of an experiment effect, although the actual increase in the value of the field of developed surface in the control group between tests 1 and 2 turned out to be statistically significant (p=0.0076).

Test 3 again did not show significant differences between the group C and the group E at the end of the training cycle. However, the fall in the value of the field of developed surface in the control group noted between tests 2 and 3 (p=0.0005) was significant.

3. ANALYSIS OF THE VALUE OF THE TIME OF MAINTAINING BALANCE WITH EYES CLOSED ON THE RIGHT LEG IN THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP AND CONTROL GROUP: In Table 8 are presented the mean values and the standard deviation for the time balance was maintained on the right lower limb in the closed eyes test in the test group categories relating to the application of various methods of motor training.

Analysis of the ANOVA system variance of repeated measurements for the variable Time maintained on the lower right extremity in the eyes closed test showed the existence of a statistically significant effect of the Training for both test groups (Table 8).

Of interest from the view point of the aim of this work is that the effect of interaction of the applied form of training in relation to the various test groups (Figure 3) did not turn out to be statistically significant (p=0.4817).

In Table 9 are presented the mean values of the variable Time maintained on the lower right extremity [s] in the closed eyes test in the successive tests in the categories of affiliation to the test groups. Column (6) gives the values of the testing function (F) and the test probability (p) for the planned comparisons between the group C and the group E in the successive tests.

The results of the analysis showed that the group C and the group E did not differ significantly in relation to the time maintained on the lower right extremity in Test 1, which preceded the commencement of the training cycle.

A comparison of the groups after a month’s training – test 2 – equally did not show significant differences in the values of time maintained on the lower right extremity between the group C and the group E. We cannot therefore speak of the appearance of an experiment effect, although there was noted a significant increase in the time value maintained on the lower right extremity between tests 1 and 2 both in the control group (p=0.0002), as equally in the experimental group (p=0.0034).

The analysis in test 3 again did not show any significant differences between the group C and the group E at the end of the training cycle; however, there was found a significant increase in the values of time maintained on the lower right extremity but only in the experimental group and this being between tests 2 and 3 (p=0.0213).

Discussion

THE APPLICATION DIMENSION:

A sizeable part of the experiments conducted are based on the testing of the effects of regaining the ability to maintain body balance, following multi-dimensional vibration stimulation to the whole body, for individuals with illness syndromes handicapping the ability to maintain stability and locomotion [4,30–32]. The results obtained by us in the testing of healthy female students of the Academy of Physical Education and Sport may be used as a model for the testing and training of the above-mentioned individuals suffering from these disease syndromes.

Conclusions

It has been shown that the obtained results in relation to body balance by students from the group C in which Program A was administered together with stretching displayed only a slightly worse set of results than those obtained by the examined students from group E in which Program B was implemented together with exercises on a vibration platform. Therefore, we were unable to confirm the hypothesis of the effectiveness of a vibration platform with regard to the ability to maintain body balance in female students studying physical education. However, there exists a significant difference in the testing of maintaining balance on a single lower limb in the group of female students training under the Program B when compared to those following Program A.