Can the Clinical Test of Sensory Integration and Balance Predict Performance in Perturbed Walking

Human balance control is a critical prerequisite to nearly all activities, and human falls are a major health concern. The most robust way to assess reactive balance is to apply external perturbations. Perturbations are typically delivered with destabilizing motorized surfaces, external forces, visual motion, or neural stimulation. However, most devices that perturb walking in research settings are not likely to see wide clinical use due to cost, space, and time constraints. In contrast, there are low-cost destabilizing clinical tests that might require similar neural control mechanisms as walking. The present study examines and compares frontal plane balance responses with a research-based surface perturbation walking device to balance responses in a clinical standing balance assessment. We found that correlations between these walking and standing tests varied widely depending on the conditions compared. Correlations between standing and walking balance were highest when 1) a perturbation was present in walking tests, 2) subjects walked slowly, and 3) the standing tests were on foam as opposed to firm surface.Clinical Relevance- This study helps to clarify the relationship between standing and walking balance. We use the clinical test of sensory integration in standing balance and a perturbation treadmill device to measure walking balance.