Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of shoe on an unstable board through evaluation of postural control ability on an unstable board. The evaluation was carried out on 12 female members of a university handball team. The subjects underwent assessments of dynamic balance in the monopodal stance and in the perturbation of an unstable board under three conditions: (1)barefoot, (2)in school shoes, and (3)in handball shoes. Accelerometers were attached to the skin on both knees and to the unstable boards. First, the subjects were instructed to stand on a small unstable board on one leg with their eyes open and maintain their balance for 10 seconds against the sway of the board until three successful trails were accomplished. The movement of their lower limbs was recorded using the accelerometers. Maximal amplitudes of acceleration were used as a parameter of body sway. The number of failures was also recorded. Next, the subjects were asked to stand both legged on a large unstable board with their eyes open. A therapist applied sudden tilt to the board by pushing it from the rear end for a total of 10 times. The subjects were instructed to maintain their balance. Maximal amplitudes were used as indicators of the strength of stepping power. There were no significant differences between subjects with and without shoes in the maximal amplitudes of acceleration. Barefoot was superior in the number of failures of one leg posture control ability compared to when school shoes were worn shoes.
