Peer-reviewed research · UCLA
UCLA study: SlackBoard training improved balance up to 3x more than conventional training
In an 8-week randomized controlled trial, people who trained on a SlackBoard made bigger balance gains than athletes using wobble boards, BOSU balls and foam pads.
Yamamoto et al., Sports 2025, 13, 457 · Published December 18, 2025 · doi.org/10.3390/sports13120457
Sports (MDPI)
Article · Randomized controlled trial
Differential Balance Enhancements Associated with Conventional Balance Training and Portable Slackline Board Training: A Randomized Controlled Trial
UCLA
3x
Bigger gain in dynamic balance
SlackBoard users improved their composite reach score by 9 points, compared to 3 points for users of conventional tools
2x
More steadiness on an unstable surface
The SlackBoard group reduced sway by 19%, compared to 9% for the conventional tools group
8 wks
3 short balance sessions each week
15–20 minutes of balance work added to regular training
0
Injuries reported
Every participant completed the study
The short version
What the researchers found
Researchers at UCLA’s UCFIT Digital Health-Exercise Physiology Laboratory split participants into three groups for 8 weeks: no balance training, training on conventional balance training tools (wobble boards, BOSU balls, and foam pads), or training on a SlackBoard.
Both groups that did balance training improved their static and dynamic balance. The group with no balance training made no improvements. The group with SlackBoards improved significantly more than the control group and the other group that did balance training on three measures: steadiness on a wobble board, posteromedial reach and the overall composite reach score.
The authors concluded that SlackBoard training can provide better balance improvements than conventional balancetraining.
Results
Bigger gains with the slackline board
Change from the start to the end of the 8-week program, by group.
No balance training
Conventional training
SlackBoard training
Overall dynamic balance
Change in composite reach score (mSEBT). Higher is better.
Steadiness on a wobble board
Reduction in sway path length. Bigger reduction is better.
Posteromedial reach
Change in reach (mSEBT, % of leg length). Higher is better.
Median values from Table 2 of the published study (Yamamoto et al., 2025). The differences between the slackline and conventional groups on these three measures were statistically significant (p < 0.05).
How the study worked
A randomized controlled trial with Division I athletes
30 athletes, 3 groups
Thirty male NCAA Division I football players were randomly assigned to one of three groups.
8 weeks of training
Everyone trained three times a week. The balance groups spent 15–20 minutes of each session on their program; the control group walked on a treadmill instead.
Measured before and after
Static balance: sway on a firm surface, a wobble board and a soft mat. Dynamic balance: the modified Star Excursion Balance Test.
No balance training
Same strength and conditioning program, with treadmill walking in place of balance work.
Conventional balance training
Wobble boards, BOSU balls, inflatable discs and foam pads.
GIBBON
SlackBoard training
A progressive 8-week program on the double-line SlackBoard.
The full paper
Differential Balance Enhancements Associated with Conventional Balance Training and Portable Slackline Board Training: A Randomized Controlled Trial
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Cite this study
Yamamoto, T.; Kidwell, J.A.; Shatagopam, V.; Hetherton, K.J.; Neufeld, E.V.; Dolezal, B.A. Differential Balance Enhancements Associated with Conventional Balance Training and Portable Slackline Board Training: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Sports 2025, 13, 457. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13120457
Open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. © 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Train on the board from the study
The SlackBoard Pro brings the study's double-line setup home, with 100+ free guided videos in the GIBBON app.