A Pilot Study to Investigate the Effect of Motor Imagery on Dynamic Balance of Asymptomatic Students

A Pilot Study to Investigate the Effect of Motor Imagery on Dynamic Balance of Asymptomatic University Students: An Experimental Study

This study intended to investigate the effect of imagining a movement task on dynamic balance of sedentary university students. Two groups with good mental imaging ability were studied; one group receiving instructions on mental imagery and the other served as a control receiving no particular intervention. Any improvement in the balance ability was measured using the star excursion balance test (SEBT); for it has good to excellent test-retest reliability and validity as established by several researchers.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Balance
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Mental Motor Imagery

Detailed Description

Motor imagery (MI) refers to a cognitive process during which the representation of a specific motor action is internally simulated without producing an overt body movement. Motor imagery is now widely used as a technique to enhance motor learning and to enhance recovery during rehabilitation of various conditions such as sports injuries, stroke, etc. Several studies have also shown improvement in strength, function, and use of both upper and lower extremities in chronic stroke. Present study aimed to identify its effectiveness in improving dynamic balance of individuals without any clinical problem. Such improvement, if any, may be useful in early balance and proprioceptive training during the maximum protection phase of joint injuries, fractures, or even rehabilitation of other clinical conditions affecting balance. It may have benefits in maintaining / improving movements in athletes after injuries as well as the general less active population, including the elderly population.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 25
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Malaysia
  • Selangor
    • Cheras, Selangor, Malaysia, 43000
      • Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 25 years (ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• No prior involvement in any physical or mental balance training
• Good mental imaging ability as determined using the motor imagery questionnaire

Exclusion Criteria:

• neuromusculoskeletal condition that may alter balance
• vestibular disorders or VBA related disorders
• painful conditions of the body
• H/o seizure, schizophrenia, meningitis, migraine, diplopia, spinal injuries, lower extremity injuries

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: PREVENTION
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: PARALLEL
• Masking: SINGLE

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
EXPERIMENTAL: Motor Imagery (MI); Those meeting the inclusion criteria were selected (n=22). Each participant was necessary to complete the Movement Imagery Questionnaire in a quiet room. Finally, each participant assigned a score by using a 7-point scale regarding the ease/difficulty associated with representing each movement mentally. Next their baseline balance measurement was performed using the SEBT. Later this group had 9 motor imagery sessions, each session for 15 minutes, 3 sessions (alternate days) per week for a total of 3 weeks. Reassessment of balance was done after every 3 sessions.	Other: Mental Motor Imagery
NO_INTERVENTION: Control (C); Those meeting the inclusion criteria were selected (n=10). Baseline measurement of SEBT was done on day 1, end of week 1, end of week 2 and end of week 3.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Dynamic Balance	Ability to balance while performing a task i.e. lower limb reach distance is various directions measured using star excursion balance test	24 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Time for improvement in balance	Time required to observe a significant improvement in balance	7 to 24 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Yee Mun Chang, Alumnus of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Hosseini SA, Fallahpour M, Sayadi M, Gharib M, Haghgoo H. The impact of mental practice on stroke patients' postural balance. J Neurol Sci. 2012 Nov 15;322(1-2):263-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2012.07.030. Epub 2012 Aug 1.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (ACTUAL): October 2, 2014
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): May 25, 2015
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): May 25, 2015

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 12, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 12, 2017
• First Posted (ACTUAL): December 18, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ACTUAL): December 18, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 12, 2017
• Last Verified: December 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Mental motor imagery; SEBT
• Other Study ID Numbers: U/SERC/40/2014

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No