Hamel M F, Lajoie Yves
School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, On, Canada.
Aging Clin Exp Res. 2005 Jun;17(3):223-8. doi: 10.1007/BF03324601.
Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of mental imagery in improving motor performance. However, no research has studied the effectiveness of such a technique on static balance in the elderly. This study evaluated the efficiency of a mental imagery technique, aimed at improving static balance by reducing postural oscillations and attentional demands in the elderly.
Twenty subjects aged 65 to 90 years old, divided into two groups (8 in Control group and 12 in Experimental group) participated in the study. The experimental participants underwent daily mental imagery training for a period of six weeks. Antero-posterior and lateral oscillations, reaction times during the use of the double-task paradigm were measured, and the Berg Balance Scale, Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale, and VMIQ questionnaire were answered during both pre-test and post-test.
Attentional demands and postural oscillations (antero-posterior) decreased significantly in the group with mental imagery training compared with those of the Control group. Subjects in the mental imagery group became significantly better in their aptitudes to generate clear vivid mental images, as indicated by the VMIQ questionnaire, whereas no significant difference was observed for the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale or Berg Scale.
The results support psychoneuromuscular and motor coding theories associated with mental imagery.
多项研究已证明心理意象在改善运动表现方面的有效性。然而，尚无研究探讨该技术对老年人静态平衡的有效性。本研究评估了一种心理意象技术的效果，该技术旨在通过减少老年人的姿势摆动和注意力需求来改善静态平衡。
20名年龄在65至90岁之间的受试者分为两组（对照组8人，实验组12人）参与研究。实验参与者接受了为期六周的每日心理意象训练。测量了前后和侧向摆动、使用双任务范式时的反应时间，并在测试前和测试后回答了伯格平衡量表、特定活动平衡信心量表和视觉意象生动性问卷。
与对照组相比，接受心理意象训练的组的注意力需求和姿势摆动（前后）显著降低。心理意象组的受试者在生成清晰生动心理意象的能力方面有显著提高，如视觉意象生动性问卷所示，而特定活动平衡信心量表或伯格量表未观察到显著差异。
结果支持与心理意象相关的心理神经肌肉和运动编码理论。
