RESUMO
A burgeoning area of innovation in sports is the use of extended realities to provide athletes with novel training environments. Evidence has demonstrated that virtual environments can be useful therapeutic tools with demonstrated positive outcomes. The purpose of this pilot investigation was to determine the effects of virtual immersive sensorimotor training intervention by quantifying 1) the training effect measured via change in performance pre-to post-intervention on the virtual reality exercises, 2) the difference in the in clinical measures of functional sensorimotor control, 3) the injury incidence rate, and 4) on-field performance during soccer competitions. Statistical analyses were used to describe differences between an experimental and a control group. Participants were recruited from the men and women's soccer teams at two universities in the United States. Participants at one university were in the experimental group (n = 78) and received virtual immersive sensorimotor training, consisting of nine novel exercises in headset virtual reality, twice each week for six weeks. Participants at the second university were in the control group (n = 52). The virtual exercises were developed with reference to the rehabilitative principles of neuroplasticity to train various neurologic processes, contributing to overall sensorimotor control. This includes vestibular, visual and oculomotor activities, cervical neuromotor control training, movement coordination, and postural/balance exercises. The results indicate significant positive training effects pre-to post-intervention in seven of the nine training exercises (p ≤ 0.005) and improvement in clinical tests of cervical neuromotor control, balance, and inspection time (p ≤ 0.009) in the experimental group compared to the control. One of the virtual training exercises was positively associated with on-field performance (p = 0.022). No differences in injury rate or overall on-field performance metrics between the experimental and control were detected. This research study provides evidence of training and positive transfer from virtual to real-world environments, supporting the use of these novel virtual exercises to improve measures of sensorimotor control in healthy soccer athletes.
RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Establish the effectiveness of kinesiology tape (KT) on sports performance abilities compared to that of other tapes or no tape with consideration to the application methodology, timeframe, and outcome measurement. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and PEDro databases were systematically searched. The following inclusion criteria were applied: 1) participants were healthy athletes, 2) compared any brand of dynamic KT to other types of tape (sham or therapeutic) and/or no tape, 3) measured some construct of functional sports performance, 4) involved randomization. The PEDro scale was used to grade the risk of bias. RESULTS: Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria with PEDro scores ranging from 3 to 8 of 10 points. The sports performance abilities included: ball skills; power squats; cycling; dynamic balance; jumping (vertical and horizontal); agility; sprint speed; and distance running with 193 comparisons between KT and other tapes or no tape at a variety of timeframes after application. In total, eleven comparisons demonstrated significant effects: 2 in favor of KT, 8 in favor of Mulligan's tape, and one in favor of no tape. CONCLUSION: There is a lack of compelling evidence to support the use of KT to enhance the sports performance abilities based on this review. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1a-.
