The Diploma thesis titled "Using biofeedback for patients with non-specific low back pain" in theoretic part gives basic information about motor learning, biofeedback, low back pain and postural stability. In the research part, it deals with influence of postural stability- focused therapy (performed on Nintendo Wii Fit Plus device) on low back pain and postural stability. The work also deals with influence of added feedback on reduction low back pain, postural stability and realizing intrinsic feedback. We demonstrate that this therapy reduced low back pain but has no significant influence on postural stability. We also demonstrate that added feedback has positive effect on persistence of pain and affective part of the Short Form of McGill Pain Questionary, but it does not influence postural stability. On the contrary, absence of added feedback significantly influenced the postural stability. The added feedback does not influence awareness intrinsic feedback.

Title: Differences in postural activity during quiet standing when breathing abdominally. Aim and purpose: Aim of this study was to examine the effects of abdominal breathing on selected muscles and stability during quiet standing to find empirical evidence if it can reduce the strain and change the activity pattern, which erect standing demands from the muscles. Methods and materials: This thesis begins with an introduction to theoretical part in which we gathered all the already existing and written information needed to form the knowledge base for our experiment. Continuing in 9th chapter, methodology and experiment procedure are described where we measured muscle activity using surface EMG and to monitor changes in stability we used force- plate for posturography where only linear parameters were acquired. Both devices were used simultaneously while the subject was in quiet stance for a period of 90 seconds. Results: Results shown decrease in most of the muscles, with a higher increase in body sway in medio- lateral than in antero-posterior direction. Signal didn't change to a more distinct wave-like pattern of rhythmic oscillations, as we had thought it would. Keywords: Posture, quiet standing, abdominal breathing, diaphragm, system interrelation, EMG, posturography

Title: Influence of pregnancy on static and dynamic postural stability Objectives: The aim of this thesis is to evaluate the influence of pregnancy on the static and dynamic postural stability using the dynamic computerized posturography. Another objective of this thesis is to determine which one of sensory inputs (visual, somatosensory, vestibular) plays the most important role in the control of postural stability during pregnancy with the help of various posturographic tests. Based on literature search to characterize changes in the organism of pregnant woman, which are responsible for postural instability in gravidity. Methods: One healthy pregnant woman was enrolled in this longitudinal study. She was evaluated in terms of static and dynamic postural stability using the dynamic computerized posturograph NeuroCom®. Posturographic tests were performed once every two or three weeks in the period from the 16th week of pregnancy until the 37th week of pregnancy and consisted of a battery of diagnostic tests of the module Smart EquiTest System. The data were processed in the program NeuroCom Data Analyzer. Results: The results demonstrate that there is an increased reliance on sensory inputs to maintain balance during pregnancy. Limitation of visual and proprioceptive components of stability...

Title: Assessment of the effect of CDP training in patient after lower extremity amputation Objectives: The aim of this diploma thesis is to describe the influence of the individually set training programme on the computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) NeuroCom Smart EquiTest System (further referred to as EquiTest) independent of traditional therapeutic exercises in the patient after unilateral transfemoral amputation of the lower limb and to monitor the effect of this training on postural behaviour, ability of functional mobility and balance, frequency of falls and balance confidence in an individual after amputation. Methods: This is an experimental pilot case study that monitors the effect of an individually designed five-week training programme (with a frequency of exercises 2 times a week) on the EquiTest in one patient after unilateral transfemoral amputation of the lower limb. Examination of postural functions was performed by the EquiTest using SOT, MCT, and LOS tests. The ability of functional mobility and balance was tested using the functional Timed up and go test (TUG). The frequency of falls was detected from the proband's medical history. The balance confidence was determined using the Activities specific balance confidence scale (ABC). All measurements were made in two terms, i.e....

Summary: The aim of our study was diagnosis and rehabilitation of vestibular loss in patients with vestibular schwannoma. In the first part we focused on analysis of a group of patients before resection of vestibular schwannoma, mainly on evaluation of gain of posturography and on optimalisation of diagnostic algorithm of vestibular pathology. Throughout the second experiment, we studied if rehabilitation of postural gait with visual biofeedback will speed up vestibular compensation in patients after resection of vestibular schwannoma. The group consisted of 44 patients, who underwent surgical removal of vestibular schwannoma. Before surgery each patient underwent clinical vestibular examination, electronystagmographic recordings and posturography. In the second part of the study 17 patients from previous group were chosen. These patients underwent rehabilitation and rehabilitation with biofeedback. For evaluation was used independent samples T-test and cross-tabulation. A great number of variables were reduced by factor analysis. For statistical analysis of the group with rehabilitation was used nonparametric Wilcoxon signed rank test. Statistical analysis revealed that the most typical parameter for vestibular pathology is the time of the step quick turn test, which is a part of posturography. We proved...

Title: The effect of one-off so called sensorimotor serie exercise on postural stability measured on Neurocom SMART Equitest Aim: The goal of this thesis is to evaluate the effect of one-off so-called sensorimotor serie exercise on postural stability on a healthy young human measured by computerized dynamic posturography (CDP). Methods: This experimental study is using a cross-over design, it means that participants got the intervention in randomized order. 20 healthy young subjects participated in the experiment, 12 women and 8 men aged 20 to 28 years (23,55± 1,63). The group of men and women was randomly divided into two groups. Group E1 was measured by Neurocom SMART Equitest using three testing protocols (SOT, MCT, LOS), went through the one-off so called sensorimotor serie, and was measured again immediately afterwards (almost 30 minutes after the first measurement) at the first appointment. In 1 week ± 1 day (wash-out period) participants from the group E1 were only measured without getting any intervention and after 30 minutes break measured again. Group E2 got the intervention in opposite order. Measured data were processed using the Neurocom Balance Manager Software. In the statistical analysis was used one-sample t-test respectively two-sample t-test (Welch's version) as a comparison...

In the study "The relationship between postural stability and physical activities", we focused on determining the level of postural stability and the possibility of influencing by appropriate means of exercise intervention in people with increased physical activity and persons with physical limitations. Persons with increased physical activity were top players and players competing in various sports (football, handball, volleyball, golf) and those with physical limitations, patients suffering from diseases that have a negative impact on postural stability (Friedrich's ataxia, autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia, Charlot-Marie- Tooth). Upright posture in stance and movement is a fundamental prerequisite for human bipedal locomotion. Postural stability is the ability to maintain an upright posture, which advises the motor and coordination skills, and its meaning is close to equilibrium abilities. Maintaining an upright posture is ensured by muscle activity, which is controlled by the central nervous system based on information from internal and external environment. Control of postural stability is the primary prerequisite for successful movement and as such it can be developed on the basis of appropriate physical activities. All methods of measuring static and dynamic postural stability can be...

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 Thermotherapy on Postural Stability assessed via NeuroCom SMART Equitest Objective: The aim of this study is ti determine whether a one-time application of positive or negative thermotherapy has a positive or negative effect on the postural stability and/or balance in a sample of healthy young adults. The tool for achieving this goal will be statistical analysis of the results of the computerized dynamic posturography before and after application of thermotherapy. And futher a comparison with the results of the control examination. Methods: In this study we have used one-time application of positive and negative thermotherapy in the form of water immersion. A total of ten women and ten men with average age 24 years (sd = 2,18), average height 174,45 centimeters (sd = 7,72) and average weight 78,10 kilograms (sd = 18,10) took part in our study. We assessed postural stability via the NeuroCom SMART Equitest test battery. The assessment was carried out without the use of head tracker accessory. We tested each participant three times in three different days. During each day one condition was applied. Conditions consisted of positive thermotherapy (temperature of 40 řC), cryotherapy (temperature of 4 řC) and control condition. Within each session two examination were made, divided...

Author: Bc. Petra Žitná Title: Evaluation of the influence of regular slackline activity on the dynamic postural stability of the sport population aged 20-30 years Aim: The aim of this work is an attempt to objectively evaluate the influence of regular slackline sporting activity on dynamic postural stability in comparison with a standard named "Athles Norm 20-30" (further stated as "Norm AN") set for sporting population aged between 20 - 30 years. Methods: The measurements were carried out in the Laboratory of kinesiology at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University. There were tested 10 participants aged 20-30 years doing the slackline sport for long time. For testing the dynamic postural stability were used the Sensory Organization Test, Unilateral Stance and Head Shake - Sensory Organization Test. The measurements on the NeuroCom Smart Equi Test were preceded by carrying out the Stork Standing Balance Test both in standardized form and modification. After specifying the statistic difference between the measured values and Norm AN there was used the Welch Test with the significance level of α = 0.05. For evaluating the correlations there was used the Pearson Test. As a high degree of reliability there was accepted the value of r ≥ 0.70. Results: There were recorded...