Static and dynamic postural control assessment in schoolchildren: Reliability and reference values of the Modified Flamingo Test and Bar Test

Abstract

Introduction: Single-leg stance tests have been widely used to evaluate static balance, like the Modified Flamingo Test. The evaluation of dynamic balance on small support surfaces is the objective of some tests like the Bar Test.

Research question: How is the performance of postural control during the performance of these tests in schoolchildren between 6 and 11 years of age in both sexes? What are the reference values of these tests in this population?

Method: A cross-sectional study in which a total of 282 children. The evaluation included both tests.

Results: The relative reliability was excellent (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient = 0.84-0.98), and the absolute reliability ranged between 4.5% and 7.1% for coefficient variation and between 0.5 and 1.5 for the standard error of measurement. The average results were 3.8 ± 2.7 floor touches for the Modified Flamingo Test and 5 ± 3.5 m for the Bar Test. The results of both tests improve progressively with the increase of age.

Discussion: It can be asserted that children of different ages, as well as boys and girls of the same age, perform differently in these tests. Particularly, according to the analysis based on age subgroups, there were greater improvements in the performance of both tests between 8 and 11 years of age.

Conclusions: The girls obtained in both tests better results, although between 6 and 7 years of age the differences between sexes are not significant.

Keywords: Biomechanical phenomena; Child development; Evaluation; Motor control; Postural balance; Sex characteristics.