Test-retest reliability of static postural control in people with multiple sclerosis.
Maria Mercedes Reguera-García, Fernanda de Souza-Teixeira, Jose Antonio de Paz Fernández
PMID 28878471WHAT IT FOUND
In people with relapsing-remitting MS, repeated balance-platform measures were generally stable on firm and foam surfaces, with eyes open or closed; speed and side-length measures were the most dependable.
Key findings
01The same-day force-platform balance tests were generally stable across eyes-open, eyes-closed, firm-surface and foam-surface conditions.
02Speed along the X and Y axes and Side Length were the most stable variables, with SEM from 1.5 to 6.3 and CV from 13.4 to 18.9.
03Velocity moment was less stable than the other variables.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 18 people completed, and all could stand barefoot and walk without aid for at least 100 minutes, so it may not apply to people who cannot stand or walk without aid. The data were not normally distributed for all variables, which can affect interpretation of coefficient of variation and standard error of measurement. The study tested repeats on the same day only, so it does not show how dependable scores are across days, weeks or months. There were few comparable reliability studies in people with MS using the same platform and protocol.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these force-platform balance scores are dependable over days or weeks. The study repeated the tests only on the same day, and the authors reported lower reliability between days in other MS studies.