[ effect of core stability training program on balance in blind female athletes]

Background and Aims: Balance is one of the most essential elements of physical activities and an important factor in sport skills. Vision plays a paramount role in the processing and integrating other sensory inputs for controlling balance and selecting equilibrium strategy. The purpose of this research was to examine the effect of an eight-week core stability training program on balance in blind female athletes

Methods: In this semi-experimental study, 30 female blind athletes [age: 22.40 +/- 5.35 years, weight: 52.17 +/- 10.92 kg, height: 1.55 +/- 0.06 m] as samples were selected and randomly were divided into experimental and control groups. The Y-Balance test and Flamingo test was used for evaluation of dynamic and static balance, respectively; and to assess the strength and stability of the central body area, the core stability tests were used. Independent-t test was used to analyze the data

Results: Before and after training, static and dynamic balance and also body stability were evaluated. There was significant increases in static and dynamic balance in anterior direction, internal posterior, external posterior and total balance in the experimental group compared with the control group [P < 0.05 for all]

Conclusion: According to the central district of improving the strength and endurance of the body, the central body resistance training can improve static and dynamic balance in blind female athletes

Deep and superficial cervical flexor muscles strength in female students with forward head posture compared to normal group using electromyography and pressure bio- feedback device

Forward head posture deformity is a disorder in head weight balance condition leading to some alterations in cervical muscles, strength. This research aimed to determine the strength of deep and superficial cervical flexor muscles in female students with forward head posture compared to the normal group. From the total of 724 female students in Shahid Bahonar University taking physical education I course, 60 students were enrolled into the two equal groups of with and without forward head posture. For selecting subjects, Posture screen test, New York test and lateral photography in stand position were used. Pressure Biofeedback device was applied to investigate the strength of cervical muscles during two craniocervical flexion test [CCFT] and combination test. To ensure proper performance of tests, Surface Electromyography was used. The two groups showed significant difference in deep cervical muscles strengths [P=0.002], while there was no significant difference between the two groups in superficial flexor muscles strength [P=0.803]. Since activation of superficial cervical flexor muscles leads to deep cervical flexor muscles inactivity, designing training programs involving just deep flexor muscles seems to be essential in individuals with forward head posture deformity