A modified two-dimensional sensory organization test that assesses both anteroposterior and mediolateral postural control.
Andrew R Wagner, Daniel M Merfeld
PMID 37284337WHAT IT FOUND
A new balance test that moves the platform sideways as well as forward and back causes much greater side-to-side sway than the standard version.
This confirms it successfully challenges the body's ability to sense sideways position, filling a gap in assessing fall risk.
Key findings
01The modified test increased side-to-side sway significantly more than the standard test in both wide and narrow stances.
02Forward-backward sway did not differ significantly between the modified and standard tests, showing the change was specific to the sideways direction.
03When compared to standing still, the modified test caused sway to increase by a factor of 2.99 to 6.26, whereas the standard test only increased it by 1.25 to 1.84.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted on young, healthy adults, so the results may not apply to older adults or people with balance disorders. The test used a virtual reality headset and a motion platform, which differs from standard clinical equipment. The study did not test whether this new method actually predicts falls or diagnoses conditions better than existing tests. The number of participants was small (21).
Declared interests
Funding was provided by NIH/NIA and DoD CDMRP grants. One author received a scholarship from the Foundation for Physical Therapy Research. No commercial conflicts were declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this new test is ready for clinical use or that it diagnoses balance disorders. The study only showed that the test mechanically works as intended in healthy young people; it did not test patients or prove that the extra sway predicts falls.