Effect of spectators on the performance of a physiotherapy exercise

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of spectators on the performance of a physiotherapy exercise.DesignObservational study.SettingResearch laboratory, Trinity College Dublin.ParticipantsForty adult volunteer subjects (36 females, four males). As there were only four males, these were excluded from the analysis.InterventionsSubjects were observed and timed while performing single leg stance in two conditions 48 hours apart; once with the investigator present (investigator condition) and once with the investigator and three spectators present (spectator condition).Main outcome measureDuration of single leg stance in seconds.ResultsThe mean duration of single leg stance, for females, under the investigator condition was 173 seconds [95% confidence interval (CI) 131 to 214], while that of the spectator condition was 168 seconds (95%CI 128 to 208). The mean difference between the two conditions was 5 seconds (95%CI −21 to 31). This was not statistically significant using a paired t-test (P = 0.686).ConclusionsFemale performance of a straightforward exercise such as single leg stance was not affected by the presence of three spectators.