Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT02218086

Effectivity of Slackline-Training in Physiotherapy

Slacklines have been established in the last few years as a training equipment in sports such as climbing, skiing and others to increase postural control. Furthermore, slacklines are used in physiotherapy in terms of stabilizing training such as wobbling boards.

However, if slackline training is effective in rehabilitation has not been investigated yet. Therefore, to goal of this study will be to investigate the effectivity of slackline training in physiotherapy compared to a wobbling board with a single tilting axis.

Outcomes will be electromyographic-data and the kinetics of the whole body.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Healthy Volunteers Persons With no Known Significant Health Problems

Age range

18 year–30 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Thim van der Laan University College Physiotherapy

Landquart, Kanton Graubünden, 7302, Switzerland

About this study

Comparing beginners pre-training (less than 1 hour of slackline training) to post-training (9 times 30 minutes of individual, controlled training) to investigate the effects of balance training on a slackline.

Comparing beginners (less than 1 hour of slackline training) to professionals (more than 100 hours of slackline training) to investigate differences in balance strategies.

Comparing professionals during slacklining under two different conditions of their visual anchor: fix vs. moving. This to investigate the role of the visual system during balance reactions.

Comparing slackline training versus a demanding training standing-on-1-leg. We do compare Y-balance-performance, performance on the MFT challenge disc, each compared with simultanousely recording body Sway (lower trunk) with SwayStar.

Muscle activity will be investigated by absolute amplitude (mV) and frequency to get an idea of which muscle fibers are acting during the task and how the activation pattern may change through motor learning.

Body kinematics should show movement strategies especially differences in roll and pitch control of the body.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • young healthy, 18-30 years old
  • small operations on muscle-skeletal-system on upper extremities
  • birth control pill

Exclusion criteria

  • any actual injuries on lower extremities
  • injuries on lower extremities less than one year back
  • operations of muscle-skeletal-system at shoulder/neck, trunk/pelvis and lower extremities
  • fear of falling
  • any medications
  • cardiac pacemaker or cardiac arrhythmia
  • pregnancy
  • skeletal anomaly
  • appendicitis less then 2 years back

Treatment and study plan

Slackline

Device

Slackbase PRO CE: certificated by european law for medical devices (EG Richtlinie 93/42/EWG)

Other names: brand name: Slackbase PRO, http://medi-lines.com/slackbasepro/

Wobbling Board

Device

Wobbling Board CE: certificated by european law for medical devices (EG Richtlinie 93/42/EWG)

Other names: name: Standbrett, serial number: 2.1.1, http://www.originell.net/index.php?_disp=40

Pre-training

Device

First investigation of the beginners with less than 1 hour experience with slacklining.

Fix visual anchor

Device

Professionals have to gaze at a fixed visual anchor during the slacklining.

Moving visual anchor

Device

Professionals have to gaze at a moving visual anchor during the slacklining.

Post-training

Device

Second investigation of the beginners occurs after a training session of 9 times 30 minutes within a few weeks.

Slackline vs. standing-on-1-leg vs. control

Device

beginners have to train 9 times ~15minutes within y few weeks.

Primary outcomes

  1. Muscle activity using surface electromyography device. 1. measuring amplitude of muscle activation in mV (millivolt) 2. measuring frequency pattern of muscle activation to distinguish /detect activation of slow and fast muscle fibers

    Time frame: average of 6 weeks

    single investigation for arms:

    • BEGINNERS:

    a. slackline compared to wobble board

    • PROFESIONALS:
    • slackline compared to wobble board
    • fix visual anchor compared to moving visual anchor

    double investigation: 1. BEGINNERS

    a. pre-training compared to post-training, expected training period average of 6 weeks, totally 9 trainings of 30 minutes each

Secondary outcomes

  1. Whole body kinematics (composite outcome measure): a. calculating joint angles [deg & deg/s] b. calculating absolute and relative body part movements (such as trunk, pelvis, head): tilts & translations [mm, mm/s]

    Time frame: average of 6 weeks

    single investigation for arms:

    BEGINNERS:

    a. slackline compared to wobble board

    PROFESIONALS:

    slackline compared to wobble board fix visual anchor compared to moving visual anchor

    double investigation: 1. BEGINNERS

    a. pre-training compared to post-training, expected training period average of 6 weeks, totally 9 trainings of 30 minutes each

Other outcomes

  1. measuring the duration of a trial (if less than 30 sec): measured in sec

    Time frame: average of 6 weeks

    single investigation for arms:

    BEGINNERS:

    a. slackline compared to wobble board

    PROFESIONALS:

    slackline compared to wobble board fix visual anchor compared to moving visual anchor

    double investigation: 1. BEGINNERS

    a. pre-training compared to post-training, expected training period average of 6 weeks, totally 9 trainings of 30 minutes each

  2. Y-balance-performance: measured in cm

    Time frame: average of 6 weeks

    single investigation for arms:

    BEGINNERS:

    a. slackline training vs. standing-on-1-leg training vs. control

    a. pre-training compared to post-training, expected training period average of 6 weeks, totally 9 trainings of 15 minutes each

  3. MFT challenge disc: measured in a score

    Time frame: average of 6 weeks

    single investigation for arms:

    BEGINNERS:

    a. slackline training vs. standing-on-1-leg training vs. control

    a. pre-training compared to post-training, expected training period average of 6 weeks, totally 9 trainings of 15 minutes each

    -------------------------------------- MFT Scale (Multi Functional Training)

    Scale Construct The diagnostics and scoring on the Challenge Disc is based on experience with other similar test equipment. Espacially the widely used Biodex Stability System.

    Total Score Total score is composed of the anterior-posterior and lateral-medial movement on the board.

    Scale Range Score 1-5 (1= good; 5=bad)

    Subscales unknown

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

THIM - die internationale Hochschule für Physiotherapie

Other

Collaborators

  • Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Registry information

Official study title

Effectivity of Slackline-Training in Physiotherapy - a Randomised Controlled Study

Important dates

Study start
2014
Primary completion
2020
Study completion
2020
First posted
Aug 15, 2014
Registry last updated
Oct 8, 2020

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.