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Non-physical practice improves task performance in an unstable, perturbed environment: motor imagery and observational balance training

For consciously performed motor tasks executed in a defined and constant way, both motor imagery (MI) and action observation (AO) have been shown to promote motor learning. It is not known whether these forms of non-physical training also improve motor actions when these actions have to be variably...

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Autores principales: Taube, Wolfgang, Lorch, Michael, Zeiter, Sibylle, Keller, Martin
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Frontiers Media S.A. 2014
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4255492/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25538598
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00972
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author Taube, Wolfgang
Lorch, Michael
Zeiter, Sibylle
Keller, Martin
author_facet Taube, Wolfgang
Lorch, Michael
Zeiter, Sibylle
Keller, Martin
author_sort Taube, Wolfgang
collection PubMed
description For consciously performed motor tasks executed in a defined and constant way, both motor imagery (MI) and action observation (AO) have been shown to promote motor learning. It is not known whether these forms of non-physical training also improve motor actions when these actions have to be variably applied in an unstable and unpredictable environment. The present study therefore investigated the influence of MI balance training (MI_BT) and a balance training combining AO and MI (AO+MI_BT) on postural control of undisturbed and disturbed upright stance on unstable ground. As spinal reflex excitability after classical (i.e., physical) balance training (BT) is generally decreased, we tested whether non-physical BT also has an impact on spinal reflex circuits. Thirty-six participants were randomly allocated into an MI_BT group, in which participants imagined postural exercises, an AO+MI_BT group, in which participants observed videos of other people performing balance exercises and imagined being the person in the video, and a non-active control group (CON). Before and after 4 weeks of non-physical training, balance performance was assessed on a free-moving platform during stance without perturbation and during perturbed stance. Soleus H-reflexes were recorded during stable and unstable stance. The post-measurement revealed significantly decreased postural sway during undisturbed and disturbed stance after both MI_BT and AO+MI_BT. Spinal reflex excitability remained unchanged. This is the first study showing that non-physical training (MI_BT and AO+MI_BT) not only promotes motor learning of “rigid” postural tasks but also improves performance of highly variable and unpredictable balance actions. These findings may be relevant to improve postural control and thus reduce the risk of falls in temporarily immobilized patients.
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spelling pubmed-42554922014-12-23 Non-physical practice improves task performance in an unstable, perturbed environment: motor imagery and observational balance training Taube, Wolfgang Lorch, Michael Zeiter, Sibylle Keller, Martin Front Hum Neurosci Neuroscience For consciously performed motor tasks executed in a defined and constant way, both motor imagery (MI) and action observation (AO) have been shown to promote motor learning. It is not known whether these forms of non-physical training also improve motor actions when these actions have to be variably applied in an unstable and unpredictable environment. The present study therefore investigated the influence of MI balance training (MI_BT) and a balance training combining AO and MI (AO+MI_BT) on postural control of undisturbed and disturbed upright stance on unstable ground. As spinal reflex excitability after classical (i.e., physical) balance training (BT) is generally decreased, we tested whether non-physical BT also has an impact on spinal reflex circuits. Thirty-six participants were randomly allocated into an MI_BT group, in which participants imagined postural exercises, an AO+MI_BT group, in which participants observed videos of other people performing balance exercises and imagined being the person in the video, and a non-active control group (CON). Before and after 4 weeks of non-physical training, balance performance was assessed on a free-moving platform during stance without perturbation and during perturbed stance. Soleus H-reflexes were recorded during stable and unstable stance. The post-measurement revealed significantly decreased postural sway during undisturbed and disturbed stance after both MI_BT and AO+MI_BT. Spinal reflex excitability remained unchanged. This is the first study showing that non-physical training (MI_BT and AO+MI_BT) not only promotes motor learning of “rigid” postural tasks but also improves performance of highly variable and unpredictable balance actions. These findings may be relevant to improve postural control and thus reduce the risk of falls in temporarily immobilized patients. Frontiers Media S.A. 2014-12-04 /pmc/articles/PMC4255492/ /pubmed/25538598 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00972 Text en Copyright © 2014 Taube, Lorch, Zeiter and Keller. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
spellingShingle Neuroscience
Taube, Wolfgang
Lorch, Michael
Zeiter, Sibylle
Keller, Martin
Non-physical practice improves task performance in an unstable, perturbed environment: motor imagery and observational balance training
title Non-physical practice improves task performance in an unstable, perturbed environment: motor imagery and observational balance training
title_full Non-physical practice improves task performance in an unstable, perturbed environment: motor imagery and observational balance training
title_fullStr Non-physical practice improves task performance in an unstable, perturbed environment: motor imagery and observational balance training
title_full_unstemmed Non-physical practice improves task performance in an unstable, perturbed environment: motor imagery and observational balance training
title_short Non-physical practice improves task performance in an unstable, perturbed environment: motor imagery and observational balance training
title_sort non-physical practice improves task performance in an unstable, perturbed environment: motor imagery and observational balance training
topic Neuroscience
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4255492/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25538598
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00972
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