Convergent validity of physical and neurological examination of subtle signs (PANESS) gaits and stations with performance-based and self-reported balance measures.

This study examined relationships among measures, not whether balance training or concussion management changes outcomes. The sample was relatively small for examining psychometric properties, and a participant was excluded from ABC analyses. The ABC was designed for older adults at risk for falls, and scores were near the ceiling in this youth group, so it may not show meaningful differences in adolescents. The Balance Error Scoring System was not included because prior exposure could bias findings. The analysis used the first available performance-based test timepoint, so it does not describe change over the longitudinal visits. Youth with and without a history of concussion did not differ on these balance measures, so the study does not show how the measures behave while symptoms are present or during recovery. The study did not test whether history of concussion or other factors change the relationships among the balance measures.

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, and the authors declared no potential conflicts of interest.

Do not conclude that the PANESS Gaits and Stations tasks measure the same thing as self-reported balance confidence. They did not correlate with the ABC, so a patient's confidence rating should not be used as a substitute for performance-based balance testing.