Dynamic Balance, Range of Motion, Articular
Conditions
Keywords
Pre-season tests, Flash Reflex Training system, Injury risk assessment, Ankle range of motion, lower limb injury risk
Brief summary
Preventing lower limb injuries is a key concern in sports and physical activities. Even though injury prevention programs and pre-season screening have improved recently, these injuries still happen often. New technology might help improve traditional screening methods. The BlazePod® system offers a fresh, active way to assess function and train physical skills. This study aims to explore the link between the BlazePod® One-Leg Balance Activity (OLBA) test and the Y-Balance Test (YBT) in healthy young adults. Using kinematic analysis, we want to see if the OLBA test can serve as a preseason tool to predict ankle injuries. Participants will complete the YBT, the Weight-Bearing Lunge Test, and the OLBA test with the BlazePod® system, along with the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT) and a sociodemographic questionnaire. We will record all tests using the Vicon T20S 3D motion capture system and analyze the data with MOKKA software. We expect to find a significant positive correlation between the average taps in the BlazePod® test and the combined YBT score. These results could show that the OLBA test with BlazePod® is a useful way to assess ankle injury risk.
Detailed description
Prevention of lower limb injuries is a major concern in sports and physical activity. Although injury prevention programs and pre-season screening tests have improved in recent years, the incidence of lower limb injuries remains high. Recent technological advances may complement traditional screening methods in identifying injury risk. The BlazePod® system offers an innovative, dynamic approach to functional assessment and physical skills training. The main objective of this study is to examine the relationship between the BlazePod® One-Leg Balance Activity (OLBA) test and the Y-Balance Test (YBT) in healthy young adults, using kinematic analysis to determine whether the OLBA test can be used as a preseason screening tool to predict ankle injuries. Participants will perform the YBT, the Weight-Bearing Lunge Test, and the OLBA test using the BlazePod® system and will complete the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT) and a sociodemographic questionnaire. All functional tests will be recorded using the Vicon T20S 3D motion capture system and analyzed with MOKKA software. We expect the results to show a statistically significant, positive correlation between the average number of taps in the BlazePod® test and the composite YBT score. We expect that these findings will suggest that the OLBA test using BlazePod® may be a useful tool for assessing ankle injury risk.
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
Aveiro University
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Individuals aged ≥18 years, practicing physical activity, and without recent complaints in the lower limbs or spine will be included.
Exclusion criteria
* Participants with federated sports practice, recent history of ankle sprain, surgery or musculoskeletal injury in the lower limb, as well as systemic pathologies affecting balance or neuromotor control will be excluded.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| One Leg Balance Activity with the Blazepod | From enrollment to the end of treatment at 1 week. | The One-Leg Balance Activity will be assessed using the BlazePod® system to quantify the number of taps a participant can perform within 60 seconds while maintaining balance. During the test, pods illuminate in an alternating sequence, and participants are required to respond by tapping each light as quickly as possible without losing postural stability. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Ankle dorsiflexion range of motion | From enrollment to the end of treatment at 1 week. | The ankle dorsiflexion range of motion will be assessed with the weight-bearing lunge test with kinematic analysis. |
| Dynamic Balance | From enrollment to the end of treatment at 1 week. | The participant will execute the Y-Balance Test to assess dynamic balance. The composite score of the 3 reach distances will be used for analysis. |
Countries
Portugal
Contacts
CONTACTMário Lopes Professor, PhD
Outcome results
None listed