The effect of contralateral training: Influence of unilateral isokinetic exercise on one-legged standing balance of the contralateral lower extremity in adults.

PURPOSE

To investigate the effects of unilateral isokinetic exercises on the one-legged standing balance of the contralateral lower extremity.

SUBJECTS

A volunteer sample of 32 healthy adults (12 men and 20 women) was randomized to training and control groups.

METHODS

The training group received unilateral hip isokinetic exercises of the dominant leg for two weeks. Contralateral single-limb balance was measured before and after intervention, including three stability index scores of balance using Biodex Stability System: Anterior-Posterior Stability Index (APSI), Medio-lateral Stability Index (MLSI), and Overall Stability Index (OSI) scores.

RESULTS

Comparison of pre-test and post-test data revealed significant improvements in APSI, MLSI, and OSI scores in the training group (p<0.05), but not in the control group. The gains of stability scores from pre- to post-test, were also significantly greater (p<0.05) in the training group than the control group.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that contralateral training with unilateral isokinetic exercises increases the one-legged standing balance of the contralateral limb following a short duration of training.