title: Assessment of a newly developed, active pneumatic-driven, sensorimotor test and training device.
abstract: The sensorimotor system (SMS) plays an important role in sports and in every day movement. Several tools for assessment and training have been designed. Many of them are directed to specific populations, and have major shortcomings due to the training effect or safety. The aim of the present study was to design and assess a dynamic sensorimotor test and training device that can be adjusted for all levels of performance. The novel pneumatic-driven mechatronic device can guide the trainee, allow independent movements or disrupt the individual with unpredicted perturbations while standing on a platform. The test-reliability was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Subjects were required to balance their center of pressure (COP) in a target circle (TITC). The time in TITC and the COP error (COPe) were recorded for analysis. The results of 22 males and 14 females (23.7 ± 2.6 years) showed good to excellent test-retest reliability. The newly designed Active Balance System (ABS) was then compared with the Biodex Balance System SD® (BBS). The results of 15 females, 14 males (23.4 ± 1.6 years) showed modest correlation in static and acceptable correlation in dynamic conditions, suggesting that ABS could be a reliable and comparable tool for dynamic balance assessments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Fuerstenweg 185, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria. wolfram.haslinger@gmx.at.
authors.forename: Wolfram
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Haslinger
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Fuerstenweg 185, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria. lisa.mueller@uibk.ac.at.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Fuerstenweg 185, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria. m_essi@gmx.at.
authors.forename: Esmeralda
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mildner
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Electrical Stimulation and Physical Rehabilitation, Wilhelminenspital, Montleartstraße 37, A-1160 Vienna, Austria. stefan.loefler@wienkav.at.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Löfler
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Electrical Stimulation and Physical Rehabilitation, Wilhelminenspital, Montleartstraße 37, A-1160 Vienna, Austria. wil.pys.kern-forschung@wienkav.at.
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kern
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Fuerstenweg 185, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria. christian.raschner@uibk.ac.at.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Raschner