CONTEXT

New measures of dynamic postural stability are needed to address weaknesses of previous measures.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the feasibility, reliability, and precision of a new measure of dynamic postural stability.

DESIGN

A single within-subjects design was used to determine optimal sampling interval as well as intersession reliability.

SETTING

Biomechanics laboratory.

PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS

Eighteen subjects (7 men [age = 22 +/- 3 years, height = 175 +/- 5 cm, mass = 75 +/- 16 kg] and 11 women [age = 23 +/- 2 years, height = 163 +/- 6 cm, mass = 68 +/- 13 kg]) without lower extremity impairment.

INTERVENTION(S): A jump protocol that required subjects to perform a 2-legged jump to a height equivalent to 50% of their maximum vertical leap and land on a single leg.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The Dynamic Postural Stability Index (DPSI) and the directional components (medial-lateral, anterior-posterior, and vertical) after a jump landing.

RESULTS

We observed a significant sampling-interval main effect (F(2,51) = 26.88, P < .01) for the DPSI; the 10-second trial duration produced significantly smaller means than the 5- and 3-second trial durations, whereas the 5-second trial result was also significantly smaller than that of the 3-second trial. The DPSI was highly reliable between test sessions (intraclass correlation coefficient = .96) and very precise (SEM = .03).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that the DPSI can be used in conjunction with a functional single-leg hop stabilization test and is a reliable and precise measure of dynamic postural stability. We believe the shortest sampling interval (3 seconds) is the best choice for studying and mimicking athletic performance as closely as possible.