Karolinska Instiutet, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Physiotherapy, Stokcholm, Sweden.
Disabil Rehabil. 2012;34(23):1986-92. doi: 10.3109/09638288.2012.665129. Epub 2012 Mar 19.
To evaluate the relative and absolute test-re-test reliability of a new step-execution test, "Step-Ex", for clinical use in elderly with and without balance problems.
Test-re-test design to assess intrarater reliability. Thirty-four healthy community-dwelling elderly (65-87 years), 16 with balance problems, were tested twice two weeks apart. Step-Ex consists of two portable force platforms that register vertical ground reaction forces connected to a computer for easy detection of temporal events and phases (reaction-, preparation-, stepping- and step execution phase). Standing with one foot on each platform, the subjects were given a tactile stimulus on the heel to initiate rapid steps forward.
Test-re-test agreement was good to very good: ICC(2)(.6) 0.83-0.87 (without balance problems) and 0.71-0.83 (with balance problems) with no apparent systematic differences between the tests. The SEM, i.e. the smallest detectable change that may indicate a real clinical improvement for a group of individuals was small, 4.6-8.6%. The smallest real difference, representing the smallest change that reveals clinical improvement for a single individual, was 13-24%.
Step-Ex is a highly reliable instrument and can be recommended as an outcome measure evaluating the effects of balance training in elderly people with and without balance deficits.
• Balance deficits are common in the elderly population. • To evaluate the effects of treatment or changes over time it is of great importance to have reliable instruments. • Step-Ex is a highly reliable instrument and can be recommended as an outcome measure evaluating the effects of treatment or changes over time in elderly people with and without balance deficits.
评估一种新的步行动作测试（Step-Ex）的相对和绝对重测信度，以用于有和无平衡问题的老年患者的临床使用。
采用测试-重测设计来评估内部测试者的可靠性。34 名健康的社区居住的老年人（65-87 岁），16 名有平衡问题，在两周内进行了两次测试。Step-Ex 由两个便携式力平台组成，该平台可以记录垂直地面反作用力，并连接到计算机上，以便于检测时间事件和阶段（反应、准备、跨步和步执行阶段）。受试者将一只脚放在每个平台上，脚跟受到触觉刺激以启动快速向前跨步。
重测一致性良好至非常好：ICC(2)(.6) 0.83-0.87（无平衡问题）和 0.71-0.83（有平衡问题），两次测试之间没有明显的系统差异。SEM，即可能表明个体群体真正临床改善的最小可检测变化较小，为 4.6-8.6%。S RD，即代表单个个体临床改善的最小变化，为 13-24%。
Step-Ex 是一种高度可靠的仪器，可推荐作为评估有和无平衡缺陷的老年人平衡训练效果的结果测量。
平衡缺陷在老年人中很常见。
为了评估治疗效果或随时间的变化，拥有可靠的仪器非常重要。
Step-Ex 是一种高度可靠的仪器，可推荐作为评估有和无平衡缺陷的老年人平衡训练效果的结果测量。
