A comparison of balance performance: computerized dynamic posturography and a random motion platform.

OBJECTIVE

To establish the clinical utility of the PROPRIO 5000 as a balance assessment device by establishing convergent validity with the NeuroCom sensory organization test (SOT).

DESIGN

Cross-sectional.

SETTING

Balance research laboratory.

PARTICIPANTS

Young adults (N=40; 21.1+/-1.4y).

INTERVENTIONS

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Performance on each of the 6 NeuroCom SOT testing conditions and PROPRIO 5000 dynamic motion analysis score.

RESULTS

Correlational analyses between output variables yielded significant relationships between the dynamic motion analysis score from the 0 to 10 second (r=-.38), 10 to 20 second (r=-.34), and 20 to 30 second (r=-.35) intervals and the SOT composite balance score.

CONCLUSIONS

The initial stages of the PROPRIO 5000 and the NeuroCom SOT battery may evaluate similar aspects of postural control. However, as the magnitude of PROPRIO perturbations increased, the relationship between the devices diverged and the complete PROPRIO assessment is not thought to pair with the SOT assessment. Differences between the 2 devices may be associated with varying degrees of test difficulty and the necessary postural control strategies involved in responding to continual balance perturbations (PROPRIO 5000) or to different sensory inputs (SOT).