Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
Volume 20, Issue 2, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20021204
Keywords
star excursion balance test; response times; cognitive-motor task; balance assessment
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) is commonly used to test dynamic standing balance, with the primary measure being maximal reaching distance. Response time (RT) is an important cognitive component of balance control, but its measurement has not been done in conjunction with SEBT and musculoskeletal fatigue. This study aims to examine RT during SEBT, create a modified version (mSEBT), and explore the effects of muscular fatigue on RT during SEBT.
The Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) is a common assessment used across clinical and research settings to test dynamic standing balance. The primary measure of this test is maximal reaching distance performed by the non-stance limb. Response time (RT) is a critical cognitive component of dynamic balance control and the faster the RT, the better the postural control and recovery from a postural perturbation. However, the measure of RT has not been done in conjunction with SEBT, especially with musculoskeletal fatigue. The purpose of this study is to examine RT during a SEBT, creating a modified SEBT (mSEBT), with a secondary goal to examine the effects of muscular fatigue on RT during SEBT. Sixteen healthy young male and female adults [age: 20 +/- 1 years; height: 169.48 +/- 8.2 cm; weight: 67.93 +/- 12.7 kg] performed the mSEBT in five directions for three trials, after which the same was repeated with a response time task using Blazepod (TM) with a random stimulus. Participants then performed a low-intensity musculoskeletal fatigue task and completed the above measures again. A 2 x 2 x 3 repeated measures ANOVA was performed to test for differences in mean response time across trials, fatigue states, and leg reach as within-subjects factors. All statistical analyses were conducted in JASP at an alpha level of 0.05. RT was significantly faster over the course of testing regardless of reach leg or fatigue state (p = 0.023). Trial 3 demonstrated significantly lower RT compared to Trial 1 (p = 0.021). No significant differences were found between fatigue states or leg reach. These results indicate that response times during the mSEBT with RT is a learned skill that can improve over time. Future research should include an extended familiarization period to remove learning effects and a greater fatigue state to test for differences in RT during the mSEBT.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available