Integrating Motor Learning Principles into Muscle Force and Balance Control

The principles of specificity and similarity play a crucial role in supporting the transfer and retention of motor performance in general sports training. Nevertheless, the extent to which force control ability translates into dynamic performance remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the effect of force control training on the transfer and retention of balance control in 18 young individuals. The force control training utilized a visual-guided force tracking task with either a uniform or non-uniform sinusoidal wave in ankle plantar flexors (PF). Postural stability was assessed by measuring the center of pressure (COP) in a single-leg standing posture. Despite consistent repetitions, no significant differences in COP parameters were observed between the pre- and post-training assessments. However, significant differences were noted between the pre-training assessments and the post-training assessments conducted one week later, utilizing a randomized order. Shifting from a regimen of constant repetition to a randomized order has a positive impact on the transfer and retention of acquired motor skills. This approach, based on the motor learning theory, holds promise for enhancing the motor performance of athletes and patients undergoing rehabilitation.