Reliability of static and dynamic balance assessments using the FootWork Pro pressure® platform in a clinical setting

Abstract

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the reliability and feasibility of static and dynamic balance assessments using the FootWork Pro® pressure platform in healthy adults, along with the impact of protocol variations on reliability.

Design: Cross-sectional study among healthy adults (n = 61), in a clinical setting.

Methods: We collected six static balance parameters under four different conditions (eyes open and closed both at 30 and 60 s), and 15 dynamic balance parameters each during two test sessions, with one week in between. Intra-session (i.e., within session) and inter-session (i.e., between sessions) reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients, and standard errors of measurement, which were calculated up to three trials (static) and five steps (dynamic) to determine the required measurements. An intraclass correlation coefficient of ≥0.70 was considered acceptable.

Results: Three trials were required to obtain reliable (averaged) scores for 23 out of 24 static balance parameters (96 %) intra-session, and 15 out of 24 (63 %) inter-session. However, some static parameters show high standard errors of measurement, up to 57.6 % of the (low) mean/median. We found comparable intraclass correlation coefficients for different sample durations. Nine out of 15 dynamic balance parameters (60 %) intra-session could be reliably retrieved by averaging four steps, and ten out of 15 (67 %) inter-session by averaging five steps.

Conclusions: A wide range of static and dynamic balance parameters can be reliably obtained in a clinical setting using the FootWork Pro® pressure platform, averaging three trials and five steps. Reliability does not increase with static sample durations longer than 30 s.

Keywords: Center of pressure; Plantar pressure; Postural balance; Pressure platform; Reliability.