Test-retest reliability of force plate-derived measures of reactive stepping

Tyler M Saumur; Sunita Mathur; Jacqueline Nestico; Stephen D Perry; George Mochizuki; Avril Mansfield

doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2020.110185

Test-retest reliability of force plate-derived measures of reactive stepping

J Biomech. 2021 Jan 22:115:110185. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2020.110185. Epub 2020 Dec 24.

Authors

Tyler M Saumur¹, Sunita Mathur², Jacqueline Nestico³, Stephen D Perry⁴, George Mochizuki⁵, Avril Mansfield⁶

Affiliations

¹ Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network, Canada; Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Canada. Electronic address: tyler.saumur@utoronto.ca.
² Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network, Canada; Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, Canada; Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Canada.
³ Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network, Canada; Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, Canada.
⁴ Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network, Canada; Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, Canada; Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Canada; Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada.
⁵ School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Canada.
⁶ Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network, Canada; Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Canada; Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Canada.

PMID: 33385871
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2020.110185

Abstract

Characterizing reactive stepping is important to describe the response's effectiveness. Timing of reactive step initiation, execution, and termination have been frequently reported to characterize reactive balance control. However, the test-retest reliabilities of these measures are unknown. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to determine the between- and within-session test-retest reliabilities of various force plate-derived measures of reactive stepping. Nineteen young, healthy adults responded to 6 small (~8-10% of body weight) and 6 large perturbations (~13-15% of body weight) using an anterior lean-and-release system. Tests were conducted during two visits separated by at least two days. Participants were instructed to recover balance in as few steps as possible. Step onset, foot-off, swing, and restabilization times were extracted from force plates. Relative test-retest reliability was determined through intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Absolute test-retest reliability was assessed using the standard error of the measurement (SEM). Foot-off and swing times had the highest between- and within-session test-retest reliabilities regardless of perturbation size (between-session ICC = 0.898-0.942; within-session ICC = 0.455-0.753). Conversely, step onset and restabilization times had lower ICCs and wider CIs (between-session ICC = 0.495-0.825; within-session ICC = -0.040-0.174). Between-session test-retest reliability was higher (ICC = 0.495-0.942) for all measures than within-session test-retest reliability (ICC = -0.040-0.753). Time to restabilization had the highest SEM, indicating the worst absolute reliability of the measures. These findings suggest multiple baseline sessions are needed for measuring restabilization and step onset times. The minimal detectable changes reported provide an index for measuring meaningful change due to an intervention.

Keywords: Biomechanics; Centre of pressure; Postural balance; Reactive balance control; Restabilization; Test-retest reliability.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Foot*
Humans
Postural Balance*
Reproducibility of Results

Grants and funding

MSH-141983/CIHR/Canada