Test-retest Reliability of Balance Tests in Older Adults

노인들에 대한 균형검사의 검사-재검사 신뢰도

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the test-retest reliability of balance measurements in older adults using balance measurement system(Good Balance). Methods: The subjects consisted of 49 female and 20 male in community-dwelling older adults. This study used a repeated-measure design. Each subject completed all the different tests once and they were then repeated with 2 minutes in between. Repeated two-ways analysis of variance(ANOVA), representing two test times and both sexes, was calculated for each of the two dependent variables. Intraclass correlation coefficients(ICCs) were used to assess the test-retest reliability. Results: 1) There was not significant difference between test and retest for mediolateral sway speed and anterioposterior sway speed under conditions of normal standing with eyes open, normal standing with eyes closed and semitandem standing with eyes open. There was not significant difference between males and females for mediolateral sway speed and anterioposterior sway speed under conditions of normal standing with eyes open, normal standing with eyes closed and semitandem standing with eyes open. There were not the interaction effects between genders and test time under three conditions. 2) The reproducibility between test and retest was excellent for anterioposterior sway speed(ICC=.77) under condition of normal standing with eyes open, and for mediolateral sway speed(ICC=.76) and anterioposterior sway speed(ICC=.84) under condition of semitandem standing with eyes open. The reproducibility between test and retest was fair to good for mediolateral sway speed(ICC=.64) under condition of normal standing with eyes open, for mediolateral sway speed(ICC=.63) and anterioposterior sway speed(ICC=.75) under condition of normal standing with eyes closed. Conclusion: Balance tests in older adults using balance measurement system(Good Balance) demonstrated acceptable levels of reliability.