The Functional Assessment of Balance in Concussion (FAB-C) Battery.
Thaer Manaseer, Jackie L Whittaker, Codi Isaac and 2 others
PMID 34631245WHAT IT FOUND
A new concussion balance battery was feasible and safe.
It took 44 to 60 minutes to administer, and equipment cost about $100 Canadian. Early results suggest it may help identify ongoing balance problems after concussion.
Key findings
01The battery was feasible and safe: all uninjured participants completed it, no adverse events occurred, administration took 44 to 60 minutes, and equipment cost about $100 Canadian.
02The tests did not track together closely: correlations ranged from -0.33 to 0.84, and the Balance Error Scoring System, Tandem Gait Test, Clinical Reaction Time Test, and Sport-Related Movement Control Test showed no significant relationship.
03Pass rates were lower among participants who had recently returned to sport after concussion: tandem gait 50% versus 67% single-task and 66% versus 82% dual-task, Turn and Go 0% versus 60%, and Lateral Shuffle 17% versus 52%.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study used a convenience sample, and 85% of participants were uninjured and 63% were male. Only 7 participants who had recently returned to sport after concussion were recruited, and only 6 were analysed, so group comparisons are very small. The dual-task and sport-specific tests had not been previously validated. Researchers analysed only participants who completed the entire battery, which could introduce selection bias. Administration took 44 to 60 minutes. One participant who had recently returned to sport withdrew because of headache, dizziness, and sadness.
The easy way to misread this
Do not use the FAB-C battery as a proven method for return-to-sport decisions. It was a small development and feasibility study, the dual-task and sport-specific tests were not previously validated, and only 6 participants who had recently returned to sport after concussion were analysed.