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Updated: Aug 10, 2025
An Instrumented Pull Test to Characterize Postural Responses
Published on: April 6, 2019
Reliability and Repeatability of a Postural Control Test for Preterm Infants
Katarzyna Kniaziew-Gomoluch1, Andrzej Szopa1,2, Tomasz Łosień3
1Department of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, 40-752 Katowice, Poland.
Insights
This study found that posturometric tests (PT) using Center of Pressure (CoP) analysis are reliable for assessing infant postural control. Abnormal movements in infants predicted differences in CoP displacement during these tests.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric neurology
- Developmental kinesiology
- Biomechanical analysis
Background:
- Assessing infant motor development is crucial for early detection of neurological dysfunction.
- General Movements (GMs) assessment is a key tool for predicting future motor outcomes.
- Novel methods for objective postural control assessment are needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the reliability and repeatability of a new Posturometric Test (PT) utilizing Center of Pressure (CoP) movement analysis.
- To compare postural control parameters between infants with normal and abnormal General Movements (GMs).
- To investigate the influence of infant position (supine vs. prone) on PT reliability.
Main Methods:
- Infants were assessed using General Movements (GMs) assessment and Posturometric Tests (PT) in supine and prone positions using a force plate.
- PTs were conducted twice by two investigators to ensure reliability.
- Infants were categorized into groups based on GMs assessment: normal (n=18) and abnormal (n=19).
Main Results:
- Significant differences in spontaneous CoP displacement were observed between infants with normal and abnormal FMs during supine PT.
- All outcome measures demonstrated at least moderate reliability, with higher Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICCs) for supine PT compared to prone.
- Reliability (ICCs) was higher for infants with abnormal FMs than for those with normal FMs.
Conclusions:
- The new PT based on CoP analysis shows promising reliability for evaluating infant postural control.
- Altered postural control parameters identified through PT may be indicative of future neurological dysfunction.
- Further longitudinal studies in preterm infants are warranted to confirm the prognostic value of these postural control parameters.
Background:
the current study aims to evaluate the reliability and repeatability of a new PT based on Center of Pressure (CoP) movement analysis in a repeated measures design.
Methods:
the examination consisted of two parts: (1) the videotaping of General Movements (GMs) and GMs assessment (GMA) and (2) Posturometric Tests (PT) in supine and prone positions. PTs were performed twice (by two investigators) in the supine and prone positions using a force plate. Based on the GMA results, infants were stratified into two groups: (1) infants with normal FMs (indicating normal future motor outcomes) (n = 18) and (2) infants with abnormal FMs (indicating later neurological dysfunction) (n = 19).
Results:
the comparative analysis between the groups of infants with normal FMs and abnormal FMs in PT in supine showed significant differences for all parameters that described spontaneous CoP displacement. The reliability analysis determined that all ICCs of the outcomes presented at least a moderate level of reliability. The ICCs were higher for outcomes of PT performed in the supine position than in the prone position. The ICCs were higher for outcomes of PT performed in infants with abnormal vs. normal FMs.
Conclusions:
although the current study yielded promising results, further longitudinal research in preterm infants should identify whether altered postural control parameters prognose future motor outcomes.
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