RESUMO
Few studies have assessed the reliability of postural balance measures during dynamic balance performance that introduce additional challenging to postural control system. In addition sometimes in the static conditions some deficiencies of the postural control system may not be revealed obviously therefore the aim of this study was to assess the reliability of postural control parameters during functional performance on force plate in healthy subjects. Ten healthy male subjects [mean age: 25.4 years, weight: 68.2 kg height: 176.9cm] participated in this study. None of the subjects were involved in sport activities. Every subject performed three ISseconds trials of eyes open single leg stance on a force plate during dynamic balance task. Participants grasped object with hand at their waist level and release it at above shoulder level. The reproducibility of the center of pressure [COP] deviations [average speed and length of path] was assessed. All participants were tested on 2 sessions with an inter-measurement interval of 7 days. COP data was collected for each trial. The intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] was used as parameter of intra-session and inter-session [Test-Retest] reliability. The ICCs for intra-session reliability of average speed and length of COP path were 0.89 and 0.91 respectively. The ICCs for inter-session reliability were 0.95 and 0.96 respectively. The study showed high and very high reliability for center of pressure measures during dynamic balance task. Therefore this dynamic performance can be used as a balance pattern in postural control assessment.. These can be used as reliable parameters in dynamic postural control assessment due to high reliability of average speed and length of COP path
RESUMO
Assessment of hip strength needs a reliable method. Hand-held dynamometers are appropriate alternatives for manual muscle testing and isokinetics. Stabilizing the dynamometer with hand will increase error in measurements. The purpose of this study was to compare the test-retest reliability of hand-held dynamometer fixed by hand and fixed to a new stable frame for measuring hip extension, abduction and external rotation strength in healthy female athletes. Normalized average and peak values of torque of three successive trials for each muscle group were calculated in two sessions one week apart in ten healthy female athletes. Strength was measured with hand-held dynamometer fixed by hand and fixed to the stable frame in each session. Intra-class correlation coefficients [ICC], coefficients of variation [CV] and standard error of measurement [SEM] were calculated to determine the reliability. For hip extension, abduction, and external rotation strength measured by hand fixation. The ICC ranged from -1.22 to 0.6, the CV ranged from 8% to 33% and the SEM ranged from 0.007 to 0.04. For strength measurements with stable frame, the ICC ranged from .93 to .96, and CV ranged from 5.26% to 7.94%. The range of the SEM was from .004 to .08. Measurements of hip muscles strength with a dynamometer fixed to a stable frame showed higher reliability than fixation by hand in young female athletes. These findings support the error within hand fixation of dynamometers and the necessity for providing better fixation