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


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Department of Physical Education University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Campus Universitario de Tafira s/n Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain - cdorado@def.ulpgc.es.
J G
JG
Ponce-González
J
J
Sanchis-Moysi
J J
JJ
González-Henriquez
R
R
Arteaga-Ortiz
J A L
JA
Calbet
C
C
Dorado
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014785:Vision, Ocular; D055815:Young Adult