Université de Fribourg

Task-dependent changes of corticospinal excitability during observation and motor imagery of balance tasks

Mouthon, Audrey ; Ruffieux, Jean ; Wälchli, Michael ; Keller, Martin ; Taube, Wolfgang

In: Neuroscience, 2015, vol. 303, p. 535–543

Non-physical balance training has demonstrated to be efficient to improve postural control in young people. However, little is known about the potential to increase corticospinal excitability by mental simulation in lower leg muscles. Mental simulation of isolated, voluntary contractions of limb muscles increase corticospinal excitability but more automated tasks like walking seem to have no or...

Université de Fribourg

Countermovement jump training is more effective than drop jump training in enhancing jump height in non-professional female volleyball players

Ruffieux, Jan ; Wälchli, Michael ; Kim, Kyung-Min ; Taube, Wolfgang

In: Frontiers in Physiology, 2020, vol. 11, p. -

The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of countermovement jump (CMJ) and drop jump (DJ) training on the volleyball-specific jumping ability of non-professional female volleyball players. For that purpose, 26 female volleyball players (15–32 years) were assigned to either a CMJ (20.4 ± 3.1 years, 171.0 ± 3.0 cm) or a DJ training group (22.0 ± 4.4 years, 168.2 ± 5.0 cm), ...

Université de Fribourg

Behavioral and neural adaptations in response to five weeks of balance training in older adults: a randomized controlled trial

Ruffieux, Jan ; Mouthon, Audrey ; Keller, Martin ; Wälchli, Michael ; Taube, Wolfgang

In: Journal of Negative Results in BioMedicine, 2017, vol. 16, p. 11

Background: While the positive effect of balance training on age-related impairments in postural stability is well-documented, the neural correlates of such training adaptations in older adults remain poorly understood. This study therefore aimed to shed more light on neural adaptations in response to balance training in older adults.Methods: Postural stability as well as spinal reflex and...

Université de Fribourg

Age-dependent adaptations to anticipated and non-anticipated perturbations after balance training in children

Wälchli, Michael ; Keller, Martin ; Ruffieux, Jan ; Mouthon, Audrey ; Taube, Wolfgang

In: Human Movement Science, 2018, vol. 59, p. 170–177

Postural control undergoes rapid changes during child development. However, the influence of balance training (BT) on the compensation of perturbations has not yet been investigated in children. For this purpose, young (6.7 ± 0.6 years) and old children (12.0 ± 0.4 years) were exposed to externally induced anticipated (direction known) and non-anticipated (direction unknown)...

Université de Fribourg

Maximizing performance: augmented feedback, focus of attention, and/or reward?

Wälchli, Michael ; Ruffieux, Jan ; Bourquin, Yann ; Keller, Martin ; Taube, Wolfgang

In: Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2016, vol. 48, no. 4, p. 714–719

Different approaches like providing augmented feedback (aF), applying an external focus of attention (EF), or rewarding participants with money (RE) have been shown to instantly enhance motor performance. So far, these approaches have been tested either in separate studies or directly against each other. However, there is no study that combined aF, EF, and/or RE to test whether this provokes...

Université de Fribourg

Is young age a limiting factor when training balance? Effects of child-oriented balance training in children and adolescents

Wälchli, Michael ; Ruffieux, Jan ; Mouthon, Audrey ; Keller, Martin ; Taube, Wolfgang

In: Pediatric Exercise Science, 2017, p. 1–26

Purpose: Balance training studies in children reported conflicting results without evidence for improvements in children under the age of eight. The aim of this study therefore was to compare balance training adaptations in children of different age groups to clarify whether young age prevents positive training outcomes.Method: The effects of five weeks of child-oriented balance training were...