A reliable unipedal stance test for the assessment of balance using a force platform

Abstract

Background. The aim was to develop a unipedal stance test for the assessment of balance using a force platform.Methods. A single-leg balance test was conducted in 23 students (mean +/- SD) age: 23 +/- 3 years) in a standard position limiting the movement of the arms and non-supporting leg. Six attempts, with both the jumping (JL) and the contralateral leg (CL), were performed under 3 conditions: 1) eyes opened; 2) eyes closed; 3) eyes opened and executing a precision task. The same protocol was repeated two-week apart.Results. The mean and the best result of the six attempts performed each day were taken as representative of balance. The speed of the centre of pressure (CP-Speed) showed excellent reliability for the "best result" analysis in all tests (ICCs 0.87-0.97), except in the test with the eyes closed performed on the CL (ICC<0.4). The CP-Speed had better reliability with the "best result" than with the "mean result" analysis (P<0.05), whilst no significant differences were observed between the JL and the CL (P=0.71 and P=0.96 for mean and best results analysis, respectively). A lower dispersion in the Bland and Altman graph was observed with the eyes opened than closed, and the dynamic test.Conclusion. The single-leg stance balance test proposed is a reliable method to assess balance, especially when performed in a static position, with the eyes opened and using the best result of six attempts as reference, independently of the stance leg.