Anna Christakou

Objectives Motor imagery is widely used to enhance patients’ response to treatment via cognitive and neurophysiological processes. As a result, cross-cultural validation of the Movement Imagery Questionnaire-3 (MIQ-3) in the Greek population was deemed necessary. Methods The cross-cultural adaptation method in Greek was followed for the MIQ-3. It was then administered to 150 participants and its face, construct validity (exploratory factor analysis and known-groups validity), test-retest reliability, and internal consistency were assessed. Results The MIQ-3 demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α=0.90). The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for test-retest reliability of each factor were low: ICC=0.049−0.293. However, the standard error of the measurement (SEM) data was within acceptable limits (13.5–17.2 % of the grand mean) for all three sub-sections of the MIQ-3. Factor analysis confirmed the three-factor structure of the questionnaire. No differences between male and female participants or those with different levels of athletic involvement (intensity of physical activity and practice level) were identified. Conclusions The MIQ-3 appears to be a valid instrument that can be used to assess motor imagery in a Greek population. It can be uniformly applied to participants of different sexes and athletic involvement. Its reliability, though, requires further research.

Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is characterized by muscle weakness and impaired neuromuscular control. This study aimed (a) to assess the impact of external verbal feedback on the dynamic balance of athletes with CAI and (b) to examine the maintenance of dynamic balance ability after the end of the completion of the intervention balance program. Thirty athletes (mean age 21.63 ± 1.53) were randomly divided into three groups: an experimental group with external verbal feedback, 1st control group without external verbal feedback and the 2nd control group without balance training and without feedback. Assessments using a balance board and the ‘Y-balance’ test were conducted before and after the balance training period. Additionally, participants completed the Cumberland Ankle Joint Instability Tool. A retention test of balance ability was administered after the 4-week intervention period. Statistical analysis revealed a significant overall improvement in balance (F(2,36) =5.96, p = 0.006, partial η2 =0.249), including those with no balance training, but no significant differences between the groups. Thus, the external verbal feedback did not show a positive impact on the balance ability between the three different groups. Also, the experimental group with the external verbal feedback demonstrated maintenance of dynamic balance learning ability. Although it appears that balance training has a positive effect on the dynamic balance of individuals with CAI, a non-positive impact of external verbal feedback was found. Also, it appears that external verbal feedback significantly led to sustained retention of balance learning ability. Further research is recommended to validate these findings.