THE DYNAMIC LEAP AND BALANCE TEST (DLBT): A TEST-RETEST RELIABILITY STUDY

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics and Motor Control
• Clinical Assessment Tools
• Human Movement Analysis

Background:

• Existing dynamic balance assessments may not adequately measure functional movements involving base of support changes.
• There is a need for innovative clinical tools to evaluate dynamic balance during functional activities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the test-retest reliability of the novel Dynamic Leap and Balance Test (DLBT).
• To hypothesize no significant differences in test completion time between separate testing days.

Main Methods:

• A reliability study involving 30 healthy college-aged individuals.
• Participants completed a 20-leap sequence, with time to completion as the dependent variable.
• Each participant underwent three trials per session on two separate days (minimum 6-day interval).

Main Results:

• Two-way mixed ANOVA revealed no significant differences between testing sessions (p > 0.05).
• Excellent test-retest reliability was established with an Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) of 0.93 (95% CI: 0.84–0.96).

Conclusions:

• The DLBT is a reliable, cost-effective, and clinically relevant measure for assessing dynamic balance.
• This novel test offers a functional and challenging tool for clinicians evaluating dynamic balance.