07 - Balance Training Concepts

Question 1

Balance is the ability to maintain?

Answer 1

the body’s center of gravity within it’s base of support.

Question 2

What is sensorimotor control?

Answer 2

active and passive restraints imposed by the muscular system, reflex actions imposed by the peripheral nervous system and feed-forward control imposed by the central nervous system.

Question 3

How does an injury impact the kinetic chain?

Answer 3

Loss of appropriate feed back and improper transfer of forces to other downstream kinetic chain body parts.

Question 4

How should balance training be performed broadly for sport specific needs?

Answer 4

With any implements used in the sport: tennis racket, hockey stick, baseball bat, golf club, etc.

Question 5

The postural control system integrates complex processes involving what inputs?

Answer 5

visual, vestibular (inputs on head position from the inner ears and brain), and proprioceptive inputs () from the Human Movement System

Question 6

What are vestibular inputs?

Answer 6

inputs on head position from the inner ears and brain

Question 7

What are proprioceptive inputs?

Answer 7

inputs on body position from different receptors in the muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments and skin.

Question 8

Neuromuscular efficiency is the ability of the neuromuscular system to allow the?

Answer 8

agonists, antagonists, synergists, stabilizers, and neutralizers to work together efficiently in all three planes of motion.

Question 9

Optimum neuromuscular efficiency requires integration of?

Answer 9

postural alignment, muscle balance, dynamic flexibility, core stabilization strength, multiplanar functional strength, and neuromuscular stabilization

Question 10

What is kinesthesia?

Answer 10

The conscious awareness of joint movement and joint position sense that results from proprioceptive input sent to the CNS.

Question 11

Where nervous system sensors are used to send feedback to the CNS?

Answer 11

afferent mechanoreceptors

Question 12

What are mechanoreceptors?

Answer 12

specialized neural receptors embedded in connective tissue that convert mechanical distortions of the tissue into neural codes to be conveyed to the CNS.

Question 13

What can be detected by mechanorecptors?

Answer 13

tissue compression, elongation and tension

Question 14

How do skin receptors work?

Answer 14

detecting skin stretching on side and relax on the other.

Question 15

What are the two primary muscle mechanoreceptors in muscles?

Answer 15

muscle spindles and the Golgi tendon organs (GTO).

Question 16

Where are muscle spindles located?

Answer 16

interfusal - running inline with muscle fibers and connective tissue.

Question 17

How do muscle spindles work?

Answer 17

like muscles, under load they have a contraction. Respond to a change in muscle length and the speed of the change. A signal is sent to the CNS, which in turns sends a return signal to the muscle spindle’s alpha neuron to activate more muscle fibers. Improves excitability and sensitivity of the CNS.

Question 18

Where are golgi tendon organs located?

Answer 18

musculotendinous junction and in series with extrafusal muscle fibers

Question 19

How do golgi tendon organs work?

Answer 19

Responds to muscle tension and the rate of tension. If the tension is to great, the CNS will stop firing to the muscle as a protective mechanism.

Question 20

What are Ruffini afferents?

Answer 20

Joint receptors that are mechanically sensitive to tissue stresses that are activated during extremes of extension and rotation. In the joint’s fibrous capsule. Considered limit detectors of motion.

Question 21

What are Paciniform afferents?

Answer 21

Joint receptor. Large, cylindrical, thinly encapsulated, multi-cellular end organ structures mechanically sensitive to local compression and tensile loading, especially at extreme ranges of motion. Widely spread around the joint capsule.

associated with the detection of acceleration, deceleration, or sudden
changes in the deformation of the mechanoreceptors.

Question 22

What are Golgi afferents?

Answer 22

Joint receptor. High-threshold, slow- adapting sensory receptors in ligaments and menisci that are mechanically sensitive to tensile loads and are most sensitive at the end ranges of motion.

Question 23

What are nocioceptors?

Answer 23

Small-diameter afferents located primarily in articular tissue and sensitive to mechanical deformation and pain. optimum stimulation includes abnormal rotation, deformation, or chemical changes

Question 24

How to ligamentous mechanoreceptors work towards CNS signaling?

Answer 24

Improves signaling by working with muscle spindles to provide optimum proprioceptive input to the CNS.

Question 25

What is Dynamic joint stabilization and an example?

Answer 25

Refers to the ability of the kinetic chain to stabilize a joint during movement.

The rotator cuff stabilizing the shoulder during all arm/shoulder motion

Question 26

What is Multi-sensory condition and an example?

Answer 26

Refers to a training environment that provides heightened stimulation to the proprioceptors and mechanoreceptors.

Standing on one foot on a half foam roll while throwing and catching a medicine ball

Question 27

What is Controlled instability?

Answer 27

Refers to a training environment that is as unstable as can be SAFELY controlled for an individual.

Standing on one foot for a 65-year-old athlete or standing on one foot on a
half foam roll while squatting down and reaching across the body toward
the floor for a 20-year-old athlete.

Question 28

Micro failure occurs in the collagen tissue when the tissue is deformed by?

Answer 28

6-8%?

Question 29

Why should balance training be progressive and comprehensive?

Answer 29

Because balance in sport doesn’t happen in isolation

Question 30

What components should integrated training utilize?

Answer 30

balance, flexibility, core, plyometrics, SAQ, resistance and cardiovascular training.

Question 31

How should exercises progress in balance training?

Answer 31

slow to fast, simple to complex, known to unknown, low force to high force, static to dynamic, two arms to one arm, two legs to one leg, stable to unstable, eyes open to eyes closed, and most importantly quality before quantity

Question 32

When is weight added to balance exercises?

Answer 32

only when movement and proprioception has been mastered.

Question 33

How are balance stabilization exercises performed?

Answer 33

Balance exercises that involved little joint motion of the balance leg. Primarily isometric contractions.

Question 34

How are balance strength exercises performed?

Answer 34

Balance exercises involving eccentric and concentric movement of the balancing leg through a full range of motion.

Movements require dynamic control in the mid-range of motion, with isometric stabilization at the end range of motion. The specificity, speed, and neural demand are progressed in at this level.

Question 35

How are balance power exercises performed?

Answer 35

Balance exercises performed by hopping from one foot to another or performing hopping movements on the same foot.

High levels of eccentric strength, dynamic neuromuscular efficiency, and reactive joint stabilization

Question 36

Training variables for balance stabilization exercises?

Answer 36

1-3 sets, 12-20 reps, 4/2/1 tempo, 0-90 secs

Question 37

Training variables for balance strength exercises?

Answer 37

2-3 sets, 8-12 reps, 3/2/1 - 1/1/1 tempo, 0-60 secs

Question 38

Training variables for balance power exercises?

Answer 38

2-3 sets, 8-12 reps, controlled & hold landing position 3-5 secs, 0-60 secs