Effect of practice on emotional state and balance outcomes during learning a stabilometer task in healthy young adults: Role of arm movement strategies

For the first time, this study determined how different arm movement strategies influence the acquisition of a dynamic balance task. Forty healthy young adults (20 women, mean age: 21.9 ± 3.0 years) were enrolled in the study. Balance practice was conducted on a stabilometer across two consecutive days (acquisition phase), with participants instructed to keep the platform as horizontal as possible under conditions of either free (Free-Group) or limited (Restricted-Group) arm movements. The third day served to assess learning, applying a retention (i.e., practiced arm movement condition) and a transfer (i.e., unpracticed arm movement condition) test. Time (s) in balance (i.e., duration of the horizontal stabilometer position) was recorded and used as an objective marker of dynamic postural control. Questionnaire-based reports of emotional state (i.e., balance confidence, fear of falling, perceived instability, conscious balance processing) were recorded and utilized as subjective measures pertaining to postural control. Irrespective of arm movement strategy, practice led to improvements in both objective and subjective indicators related to postural control and performances were superior during the free in contrast to the restricted arm movement test condition. Further, the Free-group in comparison with the Restricted-group showed a significant deterioration in balance confidence in the transfer test. The results indicate that free in contrast to restricted arm movements offer no advantage for learning a stabilometer task and, in terms of balance confidence, may even negatively affect transfer to the unpracticed restricted arm movement test condition. Therefore, practitioners are recommended to guide the implementation of task constraints (e.g., restricted arms) during the acquisition of balance tasks through instructions.