A pilot study of postural stability testing using controls: the modified BESS protocol integrated with an H-pattern visual screen and fixed gaze coupled with cervical range of motion.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate baseline postural stability of a normal healthy population using the modified balance error scoring system (M-BESS) integrated with H-pattern testing (HP) and cervical range of motion with fixed ocular gaze (CROM).

Methods: Postural error scores for twelve participants were scored during each twenty second trial of the M-BESS protocol stances (double-leg [DL], tandem [TL] and single-leg [SL]). Participants also completed the same M-BESS protocol with the inclusion of HP and CROM conditions for a total of nine trials.

Results: The total mean ± standard deviation and median of errors within each condition were not different (M-BESS 2.6 ± 2.1, 2.0; HP 1.3 ± 1.1, 2.0; CROM 2.0 ± 2.0, 2.0; p>0.05).

Conclusion: Although a small sample size, our findings suggest that with normal, healthy, subjects challenging their visual input and cervical range of motion while balancing gives you a similar number of errors as the standard M-BESS protocol.