Static Balance From the Short Physical Performance Battery Compared With BTrackS Among Older Adults
Jethro Raphael Suarez, Kworweinski Lafontant, Daniel Goble, Joon-Hyuk Park, Michael Dino, Ladda Thiamwong

TL;DR
This study compares a low-cost balance test (SPPB) with a gold standard force plate in older adults, showing that SPPB scores correlate with balance performance.
Contribution
The study provides validation of the SPPB as a cost-effective alternative to force plates for assessing static balance in older adults.
Findings
Low SPPB balance scores correlated with greater COP path length and sway area compared to high scores.
SPPB balance scores are valid indicators of static balance performance in older adults.
The SPPB can be used as an alternative to force plates in resource-limited clinical settings.
Abstract
The static balance portion of the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) has rarely been compared directly with gold standard force plate balance assessments. This study aimed to compare static balance metrics from a cost-efficient force plate between community-dwelling older adults with low and high SPPB balance scores. The Balance Tracking System (BTrackS), a stationary and simple balance assessment instrument, was used for measuring static balance metrics during a non-visual static balance test. The static balance portion of the SPPB ranges from a total score of 0 to 4 and involves unsupported standing for 10 seconds in a side-by-side, a semi-tandem, and a tandem stance. We cross-sectionally compared center of pressure (COP) path length and sway area from 204 community-dwelling older adults aged 61 to 96 (176 women, mean age = 75 ± 7 years) who completed a BTrackS and SPPB…
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Taxonomy
TopicsBalance, Gait, and Falls Prevention · Scoliosis diagnosis and treatment · Cerebral Palsy and Movement Disorders
