Rapid stepping test towards virtual visual objects: Feasibility and convergent validity in older adults

BACKGROUND: Rapid voluntary stepping has been recognized as an important measure of balance control. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and convergent validity of a Rapid Stepping Test protocol utilizing a virtual reality SeeMeTMsystem (VR-RST) in elderly ambulatory and independent individuals living in a community residential home. METHODS: Associations between step execution times determined by the system and the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Questionnaire, and clinical measures of balance performance in the MiniBESTest and Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, were established in 60 participants (mean age 88.2 +/- 5.0 years). All participants completed the study. RESULTS: The correlations of the ABC questionnaire and the clinical tests with VR-RST forward and backward stepping were moderate (rho rage 0.42-0.52), and weak to moderate with sideward stepping (rho rage 0.32-0.52). Moderate to strong correlations were found across stepping directions (rho rage 0.45-0.87). CONCLUSION: Findings support the test's feasibility and validity and confirm the utility of the VR-RST as an assessment tool in an elderly population.