Short-term Effects of Proprioceptive Training With Unstable Platform on Athletes' Stabilometry

Romero-Franco, N, Martinez-Lopez, EJ, Lomas-Vega, R, Hita-Contreras, F, Osuna-Perez, MC, and Martinez-Amat, A. Short-term effects of proprioceptive training with unstable platform on athletes' stabilometry. J Strength Cond Res 27(8): 2189-2197, 2013The purpose of this study was to determine the short-term stabilometric effects of proprioceptive training in athletes by using a BOSU ball and a Swiss ball as unstable platforms. Thirty-seven athletes from a variety of disciplines were divided into a control group (n = 17) and an experimental group (n = 20). Both performed a warm-up, and in addition, the experimental group carried out a proprioceptive exercise session after the warm-up. Proprioceptive exercise session consisted of six 25-minute exercise sessions with the BOSU ball and the Swiss ball as unstable platforms. Bipedal stabilometry was assessed before the training session (M-0), immediately after training (M-1), 30 minutes later (M-2), 1 hour after training (M-3), 6 hours after training (M-4), and 24 hours after training (M-5). Analysis of variance ( = 0.05) revealed significant differences immediately after training (M-1) in speed (p = 0.022) and length covered by the center of pressure (p = 0.021) in the experimental group. These differences were even more acute 6 hours later (M-4; p = 0.021). In fact, the same group exhibited significant differences in mediolateral position after 30 minutes (M-2; p = 0.001) compared with the baseline measure and the control group. Apart from these, no other significant differences were found. A proprioceptive exercise session using a BOSU ball and a Swiss ball as unstable platforms induced short-term negative effects on the stabilometry of athletes. Likewise, an immediate trend to improvement was apparent in the stabilometry of the control group after the warm-up.