Background & Purpose: Test stability and test-retest reliability have not previously been reported for either the Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest) or mini-BESTest (mBEST) in a population of older adults with nonspecific balance limitations. Furthermore, no criterion for identifying change greater than chance has been reported in older adults with nonspecific balance problems using either BESTest or mBEST scores. The purposes of this study were to determine test stability over time, test-retest reliability, to identify minimum detectable change for the BESTest and mBEST in a population of older adults with nonspecific balance problems. In addition, the ability of the BESTest and mBEST to identify past fallers was characterized.
Methods: This was an observational study with 58 adults 65 years or older with a history of falls or self-reported balance problem. The BESTest and mBEST were administered to all participants at the beginning and end of 4 weeks. Test-retest reliability was calculated with intraclass correlations, and minimum detectable change was calculated at the 95% confidence level (MDC95). Receiver operating characteristics were used to characterize the sensitivity and specificity of the BESTest and mBEST to identify older adults who had previously fallen.
Results: Balance scores did not significantly change over a 4-week period. Test-retest reliability for the BESTest (0.86) and mBEST (0.84) was good to excellent. MDC95 scores were identified for the BESTest (8.9) and mBEST (4).
Conclusions: The BESTest and mBEST scores were stable and reliable over a period of 4 weeks for a population of older adults with self-reported balance problems or a history of falling. MDC95 scores allow interpretation of change in BESTest and mBEST scores following rehabilitation.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1519/JPT.0000000000000123 | DOI Listing |
J Neurol Sci
November 2020
Radboud University Medical Centre, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Neurology, Centre of Expertise for Parkinson & Movement Disorders, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Unlabelled: Non-pharmacological interventions such as physiotherapy are recognized as important elements in the overall clinical management of motor impairments in PD, but evidence of physiotherapy in advanced disease stages is sparse. A recent trial found positive effects of multimodal balance training in people with mild to moderate PD, with greater and more sustained effects when rhythmical auditory stimuli were added. It is unclear whether such multimodal balance training is also effective in people with advanced PD (Hoehn & Yahr stage 4).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Parkinsons Dis
April 2021
Department of Neurology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre of Expertise for Parkinson & Movement Disorders, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Background: Balance impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD) improves only partially with dopaminergic medication. Therefore, non-pharmacological interventions such as physiotherapy are important elements in clinical management. External cues are often applied to improve gait, but their effects on balance control are unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Geriatr Phys Ther
March 2020
Department of Kinesiology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Background & Purpose: Test stability and test-retest reliability have not previously been reported for either the Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest) or mini-BESTest (mBEST) in a population of older adults with nonspecific balance limitations. Furthermore, no criterion for identifying change greater than chance has been reported in older adults with nonspecific balance problems using either BESTest or mBEST scores. The purposes of this study were to determine test stability over time, test-retest reliability, to identify minimum detectable change for the BESTest and mBEST in a population of older adults with nonspecific balance problems.
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