Trip-specific training enhances recovery after large postural disturbances for which there is NO expectation.

PURPOSE: Informed consent usually provides foreknowledge of experimental methods that can potentially increase expectation of stimuli and, therefore, influence the response. We determined the effects of increased expectation and trip-specific training on the recovery response following a treadmill-delivered, trip-specific disturbance. To deliver unexpected disturbances, subjects were deceived during the informed consent process. The primary hypothesis was that the recovery response following an expected postural disturbance would be characterized by trunk kinematics that have been shown to decrease the likelihood of a fall, compared to following an unexpected postural disturbance. We further hypothesized that following an unexpected postural disturbance, the recovery response of the subjects who had completed a trip-specific training protocol would be more biomechanically favorable to recovery compared to those of subjects who had not received the training.

METHODS: Young adults were randomized into Untrained or Trained groups. During the informed consent process, the purpose of the study was explained to subjects in both groups as being to determine the effect of trip-specific training on postural sway while performing an attention-demanding task. Untrained subjects completed two trials during which they minimized their postural sway. During the second trial, an unexpected disturbance was delivered while they performed the attention-demanding task. Trained subjects performed a pre-training postural sway trial, followed by the delivery of a series of expected, training disturbances. Finally, an unexpected disturbance was delivered while they minimized postural sway and performed the attention-demanding task.

RESULTS: Expectation significantly improved trunk kinematics (p < .05). In addition, participation in the trip-specific training protocol following the unexpected disturbance the trunk kinematics of the Trained subjects were more biomechanically favorable to recovery than those of the Untrained subjects (p < .01).

CONCLUSION: Improved trunk kinematics following trip-specific training may be independent of the extent to which the disturbance is expected.