Validity and Reliability of Dynamic and Functional Balance Tests in People Aged 19-54: A Systematic Review.
Kim J Lesch, Sanni Tuomisto, Heikki O Tikkanen and 1 others
PMID 38699672WHAT IT FOUND
The Y-Balance Test, Star Excursion Balance Test, and one-arm Functional Reach Test are valid and reliable for assessing dynamic balance in healthy adults aged 19-54.
Different tests measure distinct skills, so scores cannot be directly compared between them.
Key findings
01The Y-Balance Test, Star Excursion Balance Test, and one-arm Functional Reach Test demonstrated validity and reliability for assessing dynamic balance in healthy adults.
02Different dynamic balance tests do not measure the same construct, meaning results from one test cannot be directly compared to another.
03The Nintendo Wii Balance Board showed excellent correlation with a gold-standard force plate for assessing center of pressure displacement.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Only nine studies with 319 participants were included, which is a small base for a systematic review. Most participants were young adults (19-30 years), with very few middle-aged or older adults (55-64), limiting generalizability to the broader 19-54 age range. The methodological quality of the included studies was rated as 'poor' to 'good', with no studies rated 'excellent'. Gender imbalance was noted, with only one study including older women and none including older men. The review could not definitively assess whether the tests are sensitive enough to identify specific postural control abnormalities.
Declared interests
The authors report no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that a score on one dynamic balance test predicts performance on another. The review found no correlation between different types of balance tests, indicating they measure different task-specific skills rather than a single underlying ability.