TY - JOUR
T1 - Reliability and learning effects of repeated exposure to the Bertec Balance Advantage sensory organisation test in healthy individuals
AU - Summers, Simon J.
AU - Antcliff, Susan
AU - Waddington, Gordon
AU - Wallwork, Sarah
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2022/3
Y1 - 2022/3
N2 - Background: The Sensory Organisation Test (SOT) of computerised dynamic posturography (CDP) is a well-established clinical test used to measure postural control. Advances in technology have enabled new CDP systems to use immersive virtual reality, such as the Bertec® Balance Advantage®. While the Bertec provides an innovative approach to posturography, the reliability and learning effects of the Bertec in administering the SOT has not been thoroughly investigated. Research question: To evaluate the reliability and performance during repeated administration of the Bertec® Balance Advantage® SOT. Methods: Fourteen healthy adults (age 27.17 ± 5.5years; 10 females) participated. Each participant performed five SOTs over three sessions. The first two sessions were approximately two days apart and the third one month later. In the first two sessions, two SOTs were conducted, and in the third session, one was performed. Composite, equilibrium, and ratio scores were used for analysis. Results: Poor within-session reliability was found in the first session for the composite score (ICC: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.32–0.91), which improved by the second session (ICC: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.58–0.94). Poor within-session reliability (ICC <0.5) was found for all ratio and equilibrium scores, except for the equilibrium score of condition 3, which demonstrated moderate reliability (ICC: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.57–0.95). Poor between-session reliability was found for all outcomes. There was an increase in the composite and equilibrium scores for conditions 5 and 6 over the 5 tests, which plateaued after the fourth test, and were retained at 1 month. Significance: The data demonstrate a steady increase in performance with repeated exposure to the Bertec SOT, which was maintained one month later, indicating a learning effect. We recommend that a minimum of two familiarisation sessions should be administered to establish baseline performance and improve reliability.
AB - Background: The Sensory Organisation Test (SOT) of computerised dynamic posturography (CDP) is a well-established clinical test used to measure postural control. Advances in technology have enabled new CDP systems to use immersive virtual reality, such as the Bertec® Balance Advantage®. While the Bertec provides an innovative approach to posturography, the reliability and learning effects of the Bertec in administering the SOT has not been thoroughly investigated. Research question: To evaluate the reliability and performance during repeated administration of the Bertec® Balance Advantage® SOT. Methods: Fourteen healthy adults (age 27.17 ± 5.5years; 10 females) participated. Each participant performed five SOTs over three sessions. The first two sessions were approximately two days apart and the third one month later. In the first two sessions, two SOTs were conducted, and in the third session, one was performed. Composite, equilibrium, and ratio scores were used for analysis. Results: Poor within-session reliability was found in the first session for the composite score (ICC: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.32–0.91), which improved by the second session (ICC: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.58–0.94). Poor within-session reliability (ICC <0.5) was found for all ratio and equilibrium scores, except for the equilibrium score of condition 3, which demonstrated moderate reliability (ICC: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.57–0.95). Poor between-session reliability was found for all outcomes. There was an increase in the composite and equilibrium scores for conditions 5 and 6 over the 5 tests, which plateaued after the fourth test, and were retained at 1 month. Significance: The data demonstrate a steady increase in performance with repeated exposure to the Bertec SOT, which was maintained one month later, indicating a learning effect. We recommend that a minimum of two familiarisation sessions should be administered to establish baseline performance and improve reliability.
KW - Learning
KW - Posturography
KW - Reliability
KW - Sensory organisation test
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85125861370&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2022.02.004
DO - 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2022.02.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 35183837
AN - SCOPUS:85125861370
SN - 0966-6362
VL - 93
SP - 205
EP - 211
JO - Gait and Posture
JF - Gait and Posture
ER -