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Effects of relaxation and/or biofeedback training upon hip flexion in gymnasts

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Abstract

In Study I 10 male gymnasts were matched for hip flexibility and then randomly placed in either a control or a biofeedback group. After warm-up exercises, the control group practiced self-relaxation while the biofeedback group received EMG feedback from the hip extensors. Both groups significantly improved hip flexion from trial 1 to trial 9. The biofeedback group significantly improved more quickly across trials, as measured by slope analysis, than the control group. In Study II 15 female gymnasts were matched for flexibility then randomly placed in control, relaxation, or biofeedback plus relaxation groups. Each gymnast completed STAI (A-state), warm-up exercises, and a 10-minute treatment and was then tested for hip flexion. The control group received no treatment, the second group received modified progressive relaxation, while the last group received relaxation and EMG hip extensor feedback. All groups significantly improved from trial 1 to trial 8 with no one group superior to the others. There were no significant differences among groups for rate of improvement across trials. There were no significant correlations among state anxiety, age, and flexibility measures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. York University, 207 Winters College, M3J 1P3, Downsview, Ontario

    Vietta E. Wilson

  2. University of Guelph, Canada

    Evelyn I. Bird

Authors
  1. Vietta E. Wilson
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  2. Evelyn I. Bird
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Additional information

This work was funded in part by a Canada Council Leave Fellowship and Research Grant. Appreciation is extended to Ole Pedersen, Frank Circelli, and Dave Steeper for the data collection in the first study. The authors also extend their thanks to the gymnasts and coaches from York University, Toronto, and the Aztec Gymnastics Club, San Diego.

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Wilson, V.E., Bird, E.I. Effects of relaxation and/or biofeedback training upon hip flexion in gymnasts. Biofeedback and Self-Regulation 6, 25–34 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00998790

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00998790

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