Title: Evaluation of dynamic postural stability in football players Objectives: The main objective of this diploma thesis is to investigate the difference of dynamic postural stability between football players and the common population and measure all the data by computerized dynamic posturography SMART EquiTest System from company of Neurocom. Methods: This is a quantitative cross-sectional study. The research is divided in two groups, an experimental group involving 25 football players aged between 20 and 30 years without injuries, an active career over 5 years and a control group involving 25 participants, who are recreational athletes aged between 18 and 31 years from the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University. Measurements of dynamic postural stability were performed on Neurocom SMART EquiTest in the Laboratory of applied kinesiology of Charles University Faculty of Physical Education and Sport. Everyone was tested just one time for all seven test batteries - Sensory Organization Test, Motor Control Test, Rhythmic Weight Shift, Unilateral Stance, Weight Bearing Squat, Adaptation Test and Limits of Stability. One testing session took about 45-60 minutes. The measured data was subsequently processed by Neurocom Balance Manager Software. For the analyses of the data there...

Title: The effect of "brain gym" exercise on tennis players' postural stability Aims: The aim of this diploma thesis is to find out whether "brain gym" exercise completed for 30 days has an impact on tennis players' postural stability Summary: Altogether 12 women, 18-30 year olds, participated in the pilot study. The probands had completed a 30-day exercise intervention program which included a daily exercise for a maximum of 10 minutes. The postural stability was measured before and after the intervention using Neurocom Smart EquiTest System (Sensory Organization Test, Motor Control Test, Limits of Stability) and Standing Stork Test which evaluace the ability to balance vertically on the tip of one lower limb. The measured data were processed by the program Neurocom Data Analyzer, from which the data were subsequently transferred to Microsoft Excel 2010, SPSS 2007 and GPower 2019. To evaluate the effect of intervention the statistical methods - Shapiro-Wilk test, Student's paired t-test, Wilcoxon test were used and Cohen's d was used to determine clinical significance. The level of statistical significance was determined to α = 0,05, when p < 0,05 - statictical significance, p > 0,05 - statistical insignificance. The values of clinical significance were set to: high significance - d > 0,80, medium...

Title: Postural stability in Ultimate frisbee players Aims: The aim of the work is to objectively measure and evaluate the dynamic postural stability of a deliberately selected group of Czech Utimate frisbee (UF) players and then compare the measured results with the "Athles Norm 20-30" (AN 20-30) standard, set for the sporting population. The postural stability of the research group of probands was measured once using the computer dynamic posturography - NeuroCom Smart EquiTest System. A partial goal of the work was to describe the results of measuring postural stability with respect to pivoting. This characteristic movement is used by UF players to obtain a suitable position for passing to a teammateduring the game. Methods: This is a scientific research work, specifically a quantitative observational cross-sectional study. The research group (n = 28) was, on the basis of predetermined criteria (to be an active UF player registered under the organization ČALD (Czech Flying Disc Association), age 18-35 years, to attend UF for at least 3 years and to have at least one national team start at the European Championships or in higher competition). UF players who met these criteria were included. Measurement on the Smart EquiTest System from NeuroCom was chosen as an objective way of evaluating postural...

Title: Evaluation of postural stability in subjects engaged in combatand non-contact sports Objectives: The aim of this diploma thesis is to investigate the influence of contact itself during sport activities on postural stability of athletes. Methods: Into this quasi-experiment study there were picked 16 atheletes (n=16) in age from 22 to 35 years. Selected individuals were divided into two groups of eight according to their sporting activity (combat sports, baseball. In the mentioned individuals the postural stability was measured. To measure postural stability the computerized dynamic posturography of EquiTest Smart System from Neurocom was used. Measured data were processed using Neurocom Balance Manager Software. For the analysis of the data following statistical methods - paired t-test, Mann-Whitney test and rate of clinical signifikance (Cohen's d) were used. Results: The results indicate that individuals performing in combat sports were reaching higher mean scores in Limits of Stability than baseball players. This fact has been statistically and clinically proven. On the other hand baseball players reached higher mean Equilibrium Scores in Sensory organization test, however this fact has not been statistically nor clinically proven. No significant differences between the groups in motor...

Title: Postural strategy of volleyball players and their ability to dynamically stabilize. Objective: The aim of this diploma thesis is to find and describe the parameters, which enable the level of postural stabilization in professional volleyball players to be traced, depending on their playing position. These parameters were obtained by taking measurements using dynamic computer posturography (Smart EquiTest System). Methods: In this experiment, 10 professional players between the ages of 18 and 28, who actively compete in the highest national volleyball league, were specifically selected. The selected individuals were divided into groups according to their game specialization (left side hitter/ right side hitter (n = 3), middle blocker (n = 3), setter (n = 2) and libero (n = 2)). In addition, a control group was selected, consisting of 5 recreational volleyball players. In this thesis, in order to objectively assess the postural stability of test subjects (top athletes and control groups), Neurocom's Smart EquiTest System was used, and the measured data was then processed in Neurocom's Balance Manager Software. Statistical evaluation using Shapiro - Wilk's Normality Test, Student's t - test and Mann - Whitney test subsequently made it possible to compare the game specializations of the test...

L’instabilité posturale est fréquente chez les séniors et peut entrainer la chute. La chute chez les séniors est un problème majeur de santé publique. Les chiffres épidémiologiques sont éloquents : une personne sur trois âgées de plus de 70 ans fera une chute dans l’année. Les causes sont multifactorielles : ostéo-articulaire, visuelle, cognitive, vestibulaire…. Dans cette étude, nous nous sommes intéressés à l’évolution de la fonction des récepteurs vestibulaires périphériques avec l’âge et à la perception de rotation à partir des entrées canalaires horizontales (système vestibulaire central et projections vestibulaires corticales). Notre but est d’essayer de comprendre l’implication du vieillissement du système vestibulaire dans l’instabilité posturale des séniors. Au niveau périphérique, nous avons quantifié la fonction des canaux semi-circulaires horizontaux par le test calorique et le vidéo-head impulse test. La fonction des récepteurs otolithiques (utriculaire et sacculaire) a été évaluée par les potentiels évoqués myogéniques recueillis au niveau cervical (voies sacculo-spinales) et oculaire (voies utriculo-oculaires). Au niveau central, la perception de l’entrée vestibulaire canalaire horizontale a été appréciée après irrigation à l’eau chaude du conduit auditif externe en appliquant un score de perception (présence ou absence de sensation rotatoire). Finalement, l’équilibre a été quantifié grâce au test d’organisation sensorielle sur l’Equitest et grâce à un système que nous avons récemment mis au point en collaboration avec le Professeur Curthoys à Sydney, comprenant une Wii Balance Board, un tapis mousse et un masque de réalité virtuelle (Oculus Rift). Les résultats ont montré une diminution des réponses oculaires au test calorique après 70 ans mais une absence de baisse du gain du réflexe vestibulo-oculaire horizontal au vidéo-head impulse test. La fonction otolithique, sacculaire et utriculaire, est altérée avec l’âge quelle que soit la stimulation utilisée (aérienne ou osseuse). La perception de l’entrée vestibulaire canalaire horizontale induite par une stimulation calorique nous a permis de montrer pour la première fois que certains séniors ne percevaient pas la sensation de rotation malgré une réponse oculaire normale (vitesse maximale de la phase lente du nystagmus oculaire supérieure à 15°/s). Dans notre population, nous avons pu ainsi définir deux types de séniors : un groupe présentant une perception de vertige rotatoire et un groupe « négligeant » ne pouvant pas reconstruire une sensation rotatoire à partir des entrées vestibulaires canalaires horizontales. La comparaison de ces deux groupes de séniors appariés sur l’âge ne montre aucune différence de la fonction canalaire horizontale ni de la fonction otolithique sacculaire et utriculaire. Néanmoins, les séniors négligents présentent en majorité des performances anormales (chute ou score diminué) à l’Equitest notamment en conditions 5 et 6. De plus, leur score au DHI est plus élevé relevant ainsi le handicape ressenti par ces séniors à cause de leur instabilité. En conclusion, les troubles de l’équilibre chez certains seniors pourraient résulter en partie d’une dysfonction vestibulaire centrale. Des études ultérieures permettront de déterminer si l’augmentation du seuil de perception rotatoire est un bon facteur prédictif du risque de chute. / Postural instability is common in seniors and can lead to falls which seniors are a major problem for Public Health. Epidemiological studies clearly show the magnitude of this problem: one in three people aged than more 70 years will fall in a year. This is caused by multiple factors including: musculoskeletal, visual, cognition, vestibular… The present study concerns the effect of age on the vestibular peripheral receptors function and on the perception of rotation from horizontal canal inputs (central vestibular processing and vestibular cortical projection). The aim is to try to understand the vestibular mechanisms involved in postural instability and mobility with age. At the peripheral level, the horizontal canal function was assessed using caloric test and video-Head Impulse Test. Otolith function (saccular and utricular) was assessed using vestibular evoked myogenic potentials recorded at cervical level (sacculo-spinal pathways) and at ocular level (utriculo-ocular pathways). At the central level, perception of motion from vestibular horizontal canal inputs was studied after caloric stimulation with warm water using a subjective perceptual score (presence or absence of rotatory vertigo). Finally, postural equilibrium was assessed with the Sensory Organization Test on the Equitest machine and also with a new system developed in collaboration with Prof. Curthoys (Sydney) using a Wii Balance Board, a foam rubber pad and a virtual reality headset (Oculus Rift DK2). Results showed decreased ocular responses induced by caloric stimulation after 70 years of age but healthy horizontal gain of the vestibulo-ocular reflex assessed by video-head impulse testing. The otolithic (saccular and utricular) function is impaired with age for all the stimuli used (air or bone conducted). Perception of motion induced by caloric stimulation (vestibular horizontal canal inputs) allowed us to show for the first time that some seniors are unable to feel the induced rotatory vertigo even with normal ocular responses (peak of the slow phase eye velocity higher than 15°/s). We defined two types of seniors: one senior group having a normal feeling of vertigo and one senior ‘neglect’ group who did not feel any sensation of rotation from horizontal canal inputs. The comparison of these two age-matched groups showed no difference in horizontal canal function, or otolithic function. The majority of the ‘neglect’ seniors with an absence of perception exhibited falls or a decreased score in conditions 5 and 6 during the Equitest. Moreover, their DHI scores were higher, showing the handicap induced by postural instability in these seniors. In conclusion, postural instability and falls in seniors may result from central vestibular impairment (inadequate central processing). A prospective study is needed to determine whether the increase perceptual threshold of rotation could be a good predictor of fall risk in seniors.

Title: Evaluation of postural stability of athletes - a literature review Objectives: Thesis will address retrieval processing rating Dynamic Postural Stability of athletes . Compares analysis or results of research or investigations of different laborers working with this theme. It also mentions tests and machines used in clinical practice. It also investigates in what sports was postural stability tested and how or with what results. The most advanced, currently the most recognized dynamic posturography with impartial value is EquiTest device from NeuroCom. Therefore, the practical part focuses primarily on the results of examination of this device and make statistics about that. Methods: The diploma thesis has descriptive and analytical character. It is elaborate as a literary review . Results: The study includes 142 studies, of which only 11 concern the assessment of postural stability of athletes. Sports disciplines include tennis, football, baseball, tai-chi, taekwondo, gymnastics, basketball, softball. Entire EquiTest testing battery (which contains 7 test in total - Sensory Organization Test, Motor Coordination and Control Test, Adaptation Test, Unilateral Stance Test, Limits Of Stability Test, Rhytmics Weight Shift, Weight Bearing Squat) is almost never used in assessments although it's a...