S Brauer1, Y Burns, P Galley. 1. Department of Physiotherapy, University of Queensland, Australia. sbrauer@uoneuro.uoregon.edu
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Medio-lateral postural instability has recently been identified as a risk factor for falls in the elderly community-dwelling population. However, few clinical tests involve challenges to stability limits in the medio-lateral direction. A lateral reach test was thus developed. Preliminary evaluation of the symmetry, accuracy, test-retest repeatability, and construct validity of the lateral reach test was undertaken to ensure its validity and repeatability prior to clinical application. METHOD: Sixty healthy older female subjects (aged 72.5 +/- 5 years) participated in this study which involved two tasks. The first was the clinical test: a maximal lateral reach to the right and left, recorded by a clinical measure (observation of hand excursion) and a laboratory measure (3D analysis of hand marker excursion). The second was the recording of centre of pressure (COP) stability limits in the lateral direction by use of a dual force platform system. Eighteen subjects returned for repeatability testing. RESULTS: No significant differences in the measures were found between the sides. Lateral reach as measured by the clinical measure was significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with both the laboratory measure of reach (r = 0.650) and with COP stability limits (r = 0.331). The clinical measure of reach was not significantly different (p > 0.01) from the laboratory measure. High test-retest repeatability (r > 0.94) was found for all measures. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical lateral reach test was found to be an accurate measure of lateral reach ability. As it was significantly correlated with COP excursion it was deemed a valid indicator of lateral stability limits. In addition, the lateral reach test had high test-retest repeatability and was symmetrical between the sides. These promising results support both it's use where a clinical indicator of medio-lateral postural stability is desired and further investigation of the lateral reach test in clinical populations.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Medio-lateral postural instability has recently been identified as a risk factor for falls in the elderly community-dwelling population. However, few clinical tests involve challenges to stability limits in the medio-lateral direction. A lateral reach test was thus developed. Preliminary evaluation of the symmetry, accuracy, test-retest repeatability, and construct validity of the lateral reach test was undertaken to ensure its validity and repeatability prior to clinical application. METHOD: Sixty healthy older female subjects (aged 72.5 +/- 5 years) participated in this study which involved two tasks. The first was the clinical test: a maximal lateral reach to the right and left, recorded by a clinical measure (observation of hand excursion) and a laboratory measure (3D analysis of hand marker excursion). The second was the recording of centre of pressure (COP) stability limits in the lateral direction by use of a dual force platform system. Eighteen subjects returned for repeatability testing. RESULTS: No significant differences in the measures were found between the sides. Lateral reach as measured by the clinical measure was significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with both the laboratory measure of reach (r = 0.650) and with COP stability limits (r = 0.331). The clinical measure of reach was not significantly different (p > 0.01) from the laboratory measure. High test-retest repeatability (r > 0.94) was found for all measures. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical lateral reach test was found to be an accurate measure of lateral reach ability. As it was significantly correlated with COP excursion it was deemed a valid indicator of lateral stability limits. In addition, the lateral reach test had high test-retest repeatability and was symmetrical between the sides. These promising results support both it's use where a clinical indicator of medio-lateral postural stability is desired and further investigation of the lateral reach test in clinical populations.
Authors: Yvonne Robitaille; Sophie Laforest; Michel Fournier; Lise Gauvin; Manon Parisien; Hélène Corriveau; Francine Trickey; Nicole Damestoy Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2005-09-29 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Thiago Lemos; Nélio S Souza; Carlos H R Horsczaruk; Anaelli A Nogueira-Campos; Laura A S de Oliveira; Claudia D Vargas; Erika C Rodrigues Journal: Front Hum Neurosci Date: 2014-05-08 Impact factor: 3.169