title: Rapid stepping test towards virtual visual objects: Feasibility and convergent validity in older adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rapid voluntary stepping has been recognized as an important measure of balance control.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and convergent validity of a Rapid Stepping Test protocol utilizing a virtual reality SeeMeTM system (VR-RST) in elderly ambulatory and independent individuals living in a community residential home.
  
  
  METHODS
  Associations between step execution times determined by the system and the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Questionnaire, and clinical measures of balance performance in the MiniBESTest and Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, were established in 60 participants (mean age 88.2 ± 5.0 years). All participants completed the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The correlations of the ABC questionnaire and the clinical tests with VR-RST forward and backward stepping were moderate (ρ rage 0.42-0.52), and weak to moderate with sideward stepping (ρ rage 0.32-0.52). Moderate to strong correlations were found across stepping directions (ρ rage 0.45-0.87).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings support the test's feasibility and validity and confirm the utility of the VR-RST as an assessment tool in an elderly population.
authors: Academic College at Wingate Institute, Netanya, Israel.
authors: Yeshayahu
authors: Y
authors: Hutzler
authors: Academic College at Wingate Institute, Netanya, Israel.
authors: Olga
authors: O
authors: Korsensky
authors: Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
authors: Yocheved
authors: Y
authors: Laufer
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control; D000367:Age Factors; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Balance; aging; assessment