Effects of posture and lower limb muscle strength on the results of the Star Excursion Balance Test.
Yasuhiro Endo, Masashi Miura
PMID 34539067WHAT IT FOUND
In nine healthy young men, no single muscle strength or posture factor consistently predicted Star Excursion Balance Test reach distance.
Which variables mattered changed by reach direction and whether the dominant or non-dominant leg was used as the stance leg. Do not assume one strength measure explains poor SEBT performance.
Key findings
01There was no significant difference between the dominant leg and non-dominant leg in reach distance and muscle strength.
02Regarding the relationship between reach distance and muscle strength, the results differed between the dominant and non-dominant legs.
03In this study, related factors of muscle strength and posture differed between the dominant and non-dominant legs, even in the same reach direction.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only nine healthy male college students were studied, so findings may not apply to women, older adults, clinical populations, or athletes with different body composition. The cross-sectional design cannot show whether strength or posture changes cause better SEBT scores. Stepwise regression with nine participants is vulnerable to overfitting and unstable variable selection. The authors state the influence of muscle strength and posture was not considerable, suggesting other unmeasured factors matter. The cause of differences between dominant and non-dominant legs could not be clarified.
Declared interests
The study was supported by a grant from Sendai Seiyo Gakuin College to one author. The authors declared no financial conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the significant regression variables as proof that strengthening those muscles will improve SEBT performance. The study was cross-sectional, very small, and the authors note the influence of strength and posture was not considerable, so these associations may not be causal or clinically meaningful.