Association Between BioKinetoGraph Accelerometers and NeuroCom® Balance Master®
Presentation
Overview
Overview
Description
Purpose: Determine the association between two validated measures assessing gait and balance; the BioKinetoGragh (BKG) Accelerometers and NeuroCom Balance Master, respectively. Methods: Seventy-six healthy volunteers’ overall balance was evaluated using the NeuroCom® Balance Master®. Participants completed three sets of randomized three walking trials for the BKG under different visual conditions (eyes open, blindfolded, partially inhibited vision). During these 9 trials, participants completed a 20-foot forward-and-return walk while securely holding a mobile device against the chest with both hands. Pearson correlations were conducted to examine the association between the total score on the NeuroCom Balance Master and the BKG variables representing the domains of power, speed, and balance.
Results: NeuroCom scores positively correlated with BKG forward power (r =.09, p =.01), total power (r =.15, p =.0001), vertical power (r =.18, p <.00001), medio-lateral power (r =.13, p =.0004), vertical/mediolateral power (r =.17, p <.00001), and power strike force (r =.14, p =.0002), indicating increased gait power. NeuroCom scores inversely correlated with BKG stride/timing variables including double stance interval mean (r = -.11, p =.006), double stance interval standard deviation (r = -.11, p =.005), double stance time (r = -.16, p =.00002), stance phase (r = -.19, p <.00001), and stride time (r = -.16, p =.00002), indicating faster gait. NeuroCom scores inversely correlated with BKG balance measures of anterior-posterior range of motion (r = -.21, p <.00001), middle range of motion (r = -.16, p =.00002), and turnaround range of motion (r = -.22, p <.00001), indicating less postural sway.
Conclusions: Dynamic gait variables, assessed under diverse conditions, predict NeuroCom total scores, reflective of balance across varied scenarios. Practically, a brief, widely available mobile device-based gait assessment offers preliminary screening capabilities to identify individuals warranting comprehensive balance assessments in clinical or research settings.
