Whole-Body-Vibration Training and Balance in Recreational Athletes With Chronic Ankle Instability.

CONTEXT:   Deficits in the propioceptive system of the ankle contribute to chronic ankle instability (CAI). Recently, whole-body-vibration (WBV) training has been introduced as a preventive and rehabilitative tool.

OBJECTIVE:   To evaluate how a 6-week WBV training program on an unstable surface affected balance and body composition in recreational athletes with CAI.

DESIGN:   Randomized controlled clinical trial.

SETTING:   Research laboratory.

PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS:   Fifty recreational athletes with self-reported CAI were randomly assigned to a vibration (VIB), nonvibration (NVIB), or control group.

INTERVENTION(S):   The VIB and NVIB groups performed unilateral balance training on a BOSU 3 times weekly for 6 weeks. The VIB group trained on a vibration platform, and the NVIB group trained on the floor.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S):   We assessed balance using the Biodex Balance System and the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT). Body composition was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.

RESULTS:   After 6 weeks of training, improvements on the Biodex Balance System occurred only on the Overall Stability Index ( P = .01) and Anterior-Posterior Stability Index ( P = .03) in the VIB group. We observed better performance in the medial ( P = .008) and posterolateral ( P = .04) directions and composite score of the SEBT in the VIB group ( P = .01) and in the medial ( P < .001), posteromedial ( P = .002), and posterolateral ( P = .03) directions and composite score of the SEBT in the NVIB group ( P < .001). No changes in body composition were found for any of the groups.

CONCLUSIONS:   Only the VIB group showed improvements on the Biodex Balance System, whereas the VIB and NVIB groups displayed better performance on the SEBT.