Training effects of two different unstable shoe constructions on postural control in static and dynamic testing situations.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare training effects on postural control using two different unstable shoe constructions.

Subjects And Setting: Twenty-nine healthy subjects participated in this study and were randomly divided into three groups. Two experimental groups (10 subjects in each group) were assigned to a 6 week training program of specific sensorimotor exercises with unstable shoe constructions, one group using MBT(®) shoes and one group wearing Reflex Control(®) shoes (RC). Subjects in the control group (9 subjects) did not perform balance training.

Main Outcome Measures: Postural control was measured in one-leg stance in two testing conditions. We recorded postural sway on a force plate (static testing situation) and displacements of a moveable platform (dynamic testing situation) before and after the training period.

Results: There were no effects of training with unstable shoe constructions on postural sway in the static testing condition (for comparison of groups: p = 0.990 and p = 0.119). However, the RC group showed statistically significant improvements in the dynamic testing situation (p = 0.014 compared to control subjects). In the MBT group improvements were not significantly different in comparison to control group (p = 0.518).

Conclusions: Our results indicate that exercises using unstable shoe constructions, particularly the RC, improve postural control only in dynamic conditions.