Test-retest reliability of postural stability on two different foam pads

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Human Movement Science
• Clinical Assessment Tools

Background:

• Foam pads are widely utilized in clinical and laboratory settings for assessing postural control.
• Existing literature lacks comparative reliability data for different foam pad types.
• Standardized assessment of postural sway requires reliable testing surfaces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the test-retest reliability of postural sway parameters using two common foam pad types: Airex and Neurocom.
• To determine the optimal foam surface for consistent and effective postural perturbation.
• To provide data supporting the selection of foam pads for postural control assessments.

Main Methods:

• Test-retest reliability study design.
• Participants: Ten healthy young adults.
• Measures: Postural sway collected using the Balance Accelerometry Measure device over 90 seconds (eyes open/closed) on firm, Airex foam, and Neurocom foam surfaces.
• Analysis: Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) calculated to assess reliability.

Main Results:

• Firm surface: Fair to good reliability for path length (ICC = 0.61-0.64).
• Airex foam: Fair to excellent reliability for path length (ICC = 0.41-0.81).
• Neurocom foam: Fair to good reliability for path length (ICC = 0.29-0.45).

Conclusions:

• Both Airex and Neurocom foam pads demonstrate acceptable test-retest reliability for postural sway assessment.
• Airex foam exhibited higher reliability scores compared to Neurocom foam, particularly with eyes closed.
• Both foam types appear to yield repeatable postural sway measurements, supporting their use in clinical practice.