Intratester and intertester reliability during the Star Excursion Balance Tests

Objective: To estimate intratester and intertester reliability and learning effects during the Star Excursion Balance Tests (SEBTs). Setting: A university athletic training research laboratory. Subjects:Sixteen healthy volunteers with no history of balance disorders or significant lower extremity joint pathology. Measurements: Length of excursion was measured manually for each trial. Results: ICCs for intratester reliability were .78-.96 on day 1 and .82-.96 on day 2. ICCs for intertester reliability were .35-.84 on day 1 and .81-.93 on day 2. Significant learning effects were identified for 4 of the 8 tests. Conclusions: Estimates of intratester and intertester reliability were high, but adequate practice trials should be performed before taking baseline measures.