The test-retest reliability of limits of stability measurement with healthy young adults / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To estimate the test-retest reliability of limits of stability (LOS) measurement in healthy young adults. MethodsTwenty-five healthy young adults participated this study.Their center of pressure (COP) displacements were recorded while they stood on a force platform.The subjects performed maximal voluntary sway maneuvers in the anterior,posterior,left and right directions in turn.The LOS in each direction was calculated using balance clinic software.Each subject underwent 3 consecutive,identical tests at 7 day intervals with the same investigator.The test-retest reliability of LOS was analyzed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).ResultsFor the first test the ICC values ( ICC1 ) of the LOS ranged from 0.790 to 0.857.For the mean LOS of the first two tests the ICC2 ranged from 0.906 to 0.937,and for the mean LOS of three tests the ICC3 ranged from 0.910 to 0.948. ConclusionThe LOS test is a reliable measurement with healthy young adults.In clinical practice,averaging two LOS tests is suggested in assessing balance and postural control with young adults.