Availability of the Two-step Test to evaluate balance in frail people in a day care service.
Kazunori Kojima, Daisuke Kamai, Shogo Ishitani and 1 others
PMID 28626315WHAT IT FOUND
In 11 frail day care users, a short two-step measure went along with Timed Up and Go and one-leg standing time.
It may help screen balance when heavier tests are too demanding.
Key findings
01Eleven subjects completed all evaluations, and their average Two-step value was 0.85.
02The Two-step value was strongly related to TUG time (-0.82) and one-leg standing time (0.75).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 11 people completed all tests, so the results are very small and may not apply to other day care users. The study excluded people who could not perform the balance evaluations, so it does not describe more impaired patients who may need the screen most. It measured associations at one time only; it did not show that the Two-step Test predicts falls, decline, or response to therapy. The number was too small to examine gender, comorbidities, or age.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the Two-step Test can replace TUG or one-leg standing time in all frail patients. The study included only 11 people who were able to perform all tests, and it showed associations at one time point, not fall prevention or evidence that it correctly identifies balance problems.