• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.373-380
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of balance training on gait stability. The study population included 17 male high school students who were divided into 3 groups, each of which underwent one of the following types of balance-training programs for 8 weeks: 1 foot standing on cushion foam, trunk muscle training, and inverted body position training. 0, 4, and 8 weeks, the following experiment was performed: The participants were asked to close their eyes and take 17 steps; the stability of forward and sideward movement was determined, and the direction linearity was measured. The results revealed that all the training programs caused a decrease in stride deviation and an increase in the and the stride length, thereby improving the stability of forward movement. All the programs decreased the variation in step width and were thus also effective in improving the stability of sideward movement. The inverted body position training program was considered very effective because the cross point appeared on post hoc graphic analysis after 4 weeks, and the deviation length for 10 m was low, i.e., below 4 cm. All the programs were effective with respect to direction linearity because they decreased the deviation in direction widths. The results indicate that whole-body neurocontrol training is more effective than simple muscle training and local focused balance training, although this neurocontrol training-in the form of inverted body position training-required a longer training period than did the other programs.