Physical Therapy Publications
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-1-2019
Journal
The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine
Volume
42
Issue
sup1
First Page
141
Last Page
148
URL with Digital Object Identifier
https://doi.org/10.1080/10790268.2019.1647930
Abstract
Context/Objective: Incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) causes deficits in balance control. The Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (mini-BESTest) is a comprehensive measure; however, further testing of its psychometric properties among the iSCI population is needed. We evaluated the mini-BESTest’s test-retest reliability, and concurrent and convergent validity among individuals living with iSCI for more than one year.
Design: Cross-sectional study.
Setting: Rehabilitation hospital.
Participants: Twenty-one individuals with chronic motor iSCI (14 females, mean age 56.8 ± 14.0 years).
Interventions: None.
Outcome Measures: Participants completed the mini-BESTest at two sessions spaced two weeks apart. At the second session, participants performed tests of lower extremity muscle strength and quiet standing on a force platform with eyes opened (EO) and eyes closed (EC). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) evaluated test-retest reliability. To evaluate concurrent and convergent validity, Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) quantified relationships between mini-BESTest scores and measures of center of pressure (COP) velocity during EO and EC standing, and lower extremity muscle strength, respectively.
Results: Test-retest reliability of the mini-BESTest total score and sub-scale scores were high (ICC = 0.94–0.98). Mini-BESTest scores were inversely correlated with COP velocity when standing with EO (r = 0.54–0.71, P < 0.05), but not with EC. Lower extremity strength correlated strongly with mini-BESTest total scores (r = 0.73, P < 0.001).
Conclusion: The mini-BESTest has high test-retest reliability, and concurrent and convergent validity in individuals with chronic iSCI.
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Notes
This is an article published by Taylor & Francis in The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine on 2019-09-30, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/10790268.2019.1647930.