title: Does a mineral wristband affect balance? A randomized, controlled, double-blind study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Having good balance is a facilitating factor in the performance of everyday activities. Good balance is also essential in various sport activities in order to both get results and prevent injury. A common measure of balance is postural sway, which can be measured both antero-posteriorly and medio-laterally. There are several companies marketing wristbands whose intended function is to improve balance, strength and flexibility. Randomized controlled trials have shown that wristbands with holograms have no effect on balance but studies on wristbands with minerals seem to be lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate if the mineral wristband had any effect on postural sway in a group of healthy individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized, controlled, double-blind study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group consisted of 40 healthy persons. Postural sway was measured antero-posteriorly and medio-laterally on a force plate, to compare: the mineral wristband, a placebo wristband, and without any wristband. The measurements were performed for 30 s, in four situations: with open eyes and closed eyes, standing on a firm surface and on foam. Analyses were made with multilevel technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The use of wristband with or without minerals did not alter postural sway. Closed eyes and standing on foam both prolonged the dependent measurement, irrespective if it was medio-lateral or antero-posterior. Wearing any wristband (mineral or placebo) gave a small (0.22-0.36 mm/s) but not statistically significant reduction of postural sway compared to not wearing wristband.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed no effect on postural sway by using the mineral wristband, compared with a placebo wristband or no wristband. Wearing any wristband at all (mineral or placebo) gave a small but not statistically significant reduction in postural sway, probably caused by sensory input.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Health Science Centre, Lund University, Baravägen 3, SE222 41, Lund, Sweden. Eva.ekvall-hansson@med.lu.se.
authors.forename: Eva Ekvall
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Hansson
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Clinical Research Centre, Lund University, Jan Waldenströmsgata 25, SE205 02, Malmö, Sweden. Anders.beckman@med.lu.se.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beckman
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Health Science Centre, Lund University, Baravägen 3, SE222 41, Lund, Sweden. Liselott.persson@med.lu.se.
authors.forename: Liselott
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Persson
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008903:Minerals; D004856:Postural Balance; D014953:Wrist; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008903:Minerals