Graduate Program
Kinesiology and Sports Studies
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Semester of Degree Completion
2012
Thesis Director
Phyllis Croisant
Thesis Committee Member
Brian Pritschet
Thesis Committee Member
Mark Kattenbraker
Abstract
The Power Balance Bracelet is marketed as a way to increase an athlete's performance in strength, flexibility and balance. The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of the Power Balance Bracelet manufacturer's claims. Twenty male Division I athletes from Eastern Illinois University performed four tests on three different dates. The first session was a control trial and the subsequent sessions were performed with either the Power Balance bracelet or the placebo bracelet. Treatment order was assigned randomly with one half performing with the Power Balance and one half performing with the placebo bracelet in the second and third sessions in a double blind fashion. The tests included one repetition maximum for bench press, Illinois agility test, sit-and reach test and vertical jump. No significant differences among trials were found for the Illinois agility test (F(2,17) = 0.447, p = .643), sit and reach flexibility test (F(2,l 7) = 1.560, p=.223), or in vertical jump (F(2,l 7) =.534, p=.591). A significant difference among trials was found for chest press I RM (F(2,l 7) = 11.895, p < .000). Pairwise comparisons revealed that the I RM for both the placebo and Power Balance trials was significantly higher than for the control trial (p=.001). However there was no significant difference in 1 RM between the placebo bracelet and Power Balance bracelet trials. It was concluded that the use of the Power Balance Bracelet did not have a significant effect on performance of chest press strength, agility, sit-and-reach flexibility and vertical jump.
Recommended Citation
Reimnitz, Rusa Lea, "The effect of the Power Balance bracelet on strength, agility, flexibility and vertical jump in collegiate male athletes" (2012). Masters Theses. 975.
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/975
