Changes in static balance ability in cadets during a six-month military training cycle

Background and Study Aim. Maintaining postural stability is a component of motor fitness and a prerequisite for the safe and effective performance of military tasks. Various forms of military training are used to develop physical preparedness and functional performance in cadets. However, their effectiveness in improving postural control and static balance ability during long-term standardized training remains a subject of practical interest. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a six-month standardized military training programme on selected parameters of postural stability in cadets at a military academy. Materials and Methods. The study included 38 cadets from the Military University of Technology (Poland). Postural stability was assessed twice at a six-month interval using the Romberg test performed on the FreeSTEP STANDARD stabilometric platform. Measurements included double-leg stance (eyes open/eyes closed) and single-leg stance on both limbs. Analyzed center of pressure (CoP) parameters comprised total path length (PL), confidence ellipse area (CEA), mean velocity (MV), and root mean square sway amplitudes in the mediolateral (X-RMS) and anteroposterior (Y-RMS) directions. Due to the non-normal data distribution, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and effect size coefficient r were used. Results. No statistically significant changes were observed in any parameter during double-leg stance. Conversely, single-leg tests showed significant differences between eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions (p < .005), confirming the strong contribution of visual input to balance control. However, the six-month training period did not yield consistent improvements in single-leg stability. Partial enhancements were observed for the right leg, particularly under EC conditions. However, these changes were selective and not uniform across parameters or limbs. Conclusions. Standardized military training did not lead to systematic improvements in postural control among cadets. Single-leg stance tests demonstrated greater sensitivity to balance changes than double-leg stance. The findings suggest that enhancing postural stability in future soldiers may require the incorporation of targeted proprioceptive and sensorimotor exercises into the existing military training curriculum.