RESUMO
Diamond step (DS) exercises are associated with multiple components of postural control and, thus, have the potential to efficiently improve balance ability. This study aimed to verify whether DS exercises contribute to improving balance ability. This study included 35 healthy young people and 29 older adults. DS exercises were performed continuously for 3 min, four times a week, for 1 month. Balance ability was assessed at baseline and after 1 and 2 months; eight items in total were examined: 30 s chair stand test, functional reach test, standing on one leg with eyes closed, time required for five rounds of DS, left-right DS, Y balance test, open-close stepping test, and finger-to-floor distance. The difficulty, achievement, and lightness/enjoyment of DS exercises were measured after the first practice and 1 month after beginning the exercises as subjective evaluations. Older adults showed improvement in seven of the eight items, with the exception being the one-legged stance with closed eyes. The subjective evaluation showed a decrease in the level of difficulty of DS exercises for older adults. DS exercises may improve balance by effectively utilizing various postural control strategies. These exercises can be effective and easy to implement, given their moderate difficulty level and self-efficacy.
RESUMO
[Purpose] This study aimed to investigate the reliability of an infrared motion-time acquisition system by measuring the time taken for five motion segments (sit-to-stand, forward gait, mid-turn, return gait, and turn-stand-to-sit) in the timed up-and-go test. [Participants and Methods] In total, 30 healthy adults (25.1 ± 4.6â years, 19 males and 11 females) were included in this study. Tester A and Tester B measured the time taken in the timed up-and-go test and its five motion segments with an infrared motion-time acquisition system, and two measurements were made by Tester A and one by Tester B. [Results] Intraclass correlation coefficients of the time taken for the five motion segments in the timed up-and-go test and the intra- and inter-rater intraclass correlation coefficients were greater than 0.9. [Conclusion] Infrared motion-time acquisition systems and its five motion segments are reliable and provide accurate measurements during the timed up-and-go test.
RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: To test the validity of the Diamond Steps Test (DST), a new test to assess balance. DESIGN: This cross-sectional study evaluated the validity of the DST, a brief new balance assessment tool. SETTING: The implementation site was the rehabilitation center of a hospital. Data collection was conducted from February to June 2017. PARTICIPANTS: Healthy adults (N=65) between the ages of 40 and 72 years who volunteered to participate. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Two measures were used to assess DST: the time required to step around the diamond 5 times (5-DS) and the time required to step around the diamond twice, once using the dominant foot and the other using the non-dominant foot (LRDS). RESULTS: Multiple regression analysis was performed for each of the 2 methods for measuring DST. Five variables were predictive of DST as measured by the 5-DS test: the 10-Second Open Close Stepping Test, timed Up and Go (TUG) test, Y Balance Test (YBT) posterolateral reach for the left leg, Standing on One Leg with Eyes Closed (SOLEC) test for the right leg, and sex. The coefficient of determination was 0.54. For DST measured by the LRDS, 4 variables were found to be predictive: the 30-Second Chair Stand Test, YBT posterolateral reach for the left leg, TUG, and SOLEC for the right leg. The coefficient of determination was 0.49. CONCLUSION: The DST was shown to assess 7 of the 9 components of balance (static stability, functional stability limits, underlying motor systems, anticipatory posture control, dynamic stability, reactive postural control, and sensory integration), suggesting that it is a valid test to use for balance assessment.
