Six-week combined vibration and wobble board training on balance and stability in footballers with functional ankle instability.

Abstract

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of a combination of vibration and wobble board training against wobble board training alone in footballers suffering from functional ankle instability (FAI). Design: A 2 · 3 prefactorial–postfactorial design. Setting: University research laboratory. Participants: Thirty-three male semiprofessional footballers with self-reported unilateral FAI were randomly assigned in 3 groups: vibration and wobble board (mean age 22.2 years), wobble board (mean age 22.7 years), and control (mean age 23.1 years). Interventions: Participants in each intervention group performed a 6-week progressive rehabilitation program using a wobble board, either with or without the addition of vibration stimulus. Main Outcome Measures: Absolute center of mass (COM) distribution during single-leg stance, modified star excursion balance test (SEBT) reach distances, and single-leg triple hop for distance (SLTHD) were measured before and after 6-week intervention. Results: Combined vibration and wobble board training resulted in AU3 reduced COM distribution [P # 0.001, effect size (ES) = 0.66], increased SEBT reach distances (P # 0.01 and P # 0.002, ES = 0.19 and 0.29, respectively), and increased SLTHD (P # 0.001, ES = 0.33) compared with wobble board training alone during the course of the 6-week training intervention. Conclusions: Combined vibration and wobble board training improves COM distribution, modified SEBT scores and SLTHD among footballers suffering FAI, compared with wobble board training alone.