Modifying a functional obstacle course to test balance and mobility in the community

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Biomechanics
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• The functional obstacle course (FOC) is a tool to assess balance and mobility in the elderly.
• Previous FOC use was hospital-based, requiring parallel bars and extra personnel.
• Modifications were made to adapt the FOC for community-based studies, removing parallel bars.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if modifications to the FOC affect performance scores.
• To compare performance between the original and modified FOC versions in fallers and non-fallers.
• To validate the modified FOC for broader research applications.

Main Methods:

• 36 volunteers (18 fallers, 18 non-fallers) were tested on modified sections of both FOC versions.
• Performance was assessed using summed quality and task completion time scores.
• A two-factor repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to analyze the data.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in quality scores was found between the original and modified FOC versions.
• No interaction effect was observed between faller status and FOC version for quality scores.
• Task completion time was approximately 2 seconds longer for the modified FOC, with a similar increase for both fallers and non-fallers.

Conclusions:

• The modified FOC demonstrates comparable performance to the original version for both fallers and non-fallers.
• A 2-second adjustment in time scores is recommended when comparing the two FOC versions.
• The modifications enhance the FOC's utility for extensive and efficient balance and mobility research.