Abstract
The purpose of this study was to survey the athletic trainers’ recognition, need and evaluation for balance training and to investigate training and evaluation methods in the actual implementation. One hundred fifty trainers were participated in the survey. The study questionnaire of 24 encompassed five separated issues; basic characteristics of trainers, awareness and the need for balance, balance assessment and training content, assessment and training equipment, and education and need. Balance training were recognized as simple balance training in 20.7% of trainers, and as proprioception in 64.9%. Trainers with high needs of balance training were 69.4%. The percentage of trainers with protocol of balance training were 73.9%, and the trainers with complex equipments including software and hardware were 66.7%. Trainers with needs of education for training protocol, theoretical education for balance, and training equipment were 79.3%, 56.8%, and 63.1%. The results showed that educations for concept of balance training and sports injury rehabilitation, and research opportunities had to be provided to athlete trainers. We think that the results of this study can help athlete trainers to apply high-quality sports rehabilitation for athletes.
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Table 1.
Composition of questionnaire
Table 2.
Characteristics of study subject
Table 3.
Athletic Trainers’ recognition of balance training
Male | Female | |
---|---|---|
Balance training | 18 (16.2) | 5 (4.4) |
Coordination training | 3 (2.7) | 1 (0.9) |
Neuromuscular training | 8 (7.2) | 2 (1.8) |
Proprioception training | 43 (38.7) | 29 (26.1) |
Table 4.
Athletic Trainers’ need of balance training
Male | Female | |
---|---|---|
0–20% | 9 (8.1) | 3 (2.7) |
20–30% | 31 (28.5) | 14 (12.0) |
30–40% | 19 (18.0) | 13 (11.7) |
Over 50% | 15 (13.5) | 6 (5.4) |
Table 5.
Time to start balance training depending on career or level of education