Effects of instructional and motivational self-talk on balance performance in knee injured

Aims: To examine the influence of motivational and instructional self-talk on balance test performance of knee injured active individuals with meniscectomy. Design: One between-groups factor with four levels (instructional, motivational, no self-talk, neutral self-talk) and one within-groups "time" factor with two levels (pre-test, post-test). Method: 35 men and 25 women physically active and knee injured following meniscectomy 6 months ago participated. After 2 days of familiarization, they completed four dynamic balance stability trials, spaced 3 min apart. After the first two trials (best value as pre-test score), the participants were randomly assigned to four groups: the motivational self-talk group, instructional self-talk group and control groups (no instruction and neutral self-talk). They repeated the two trials (best value as post-test score) expressing aloud the phrases assigned. Results: Analysis of variance repeated-measures and Sidak multiple comparisons tests were performed on the time variable to detect differences in each group for each time point (pre- and post-test). Statistical analysis showed that balance board time score increased significantly only for experimental groups after the intervention period and not for control groups, F (3,56) = 9.93, p = 0.05, eta(2) = 0.861 for time of keeping stability on the board. Conclusions: The findings of the present study indicate that injured active individuals with meniscectomy may enhance their balance test performance via the use of instructional and motivational self-talk.