Reliability of accelerometric assessment of balance in children aged 6–12 years

Abstract

Background: Development and evaluation of an accelerometers technique for collecting data for asses balance had reported difficulty due to equilibrium reactions and continuous bursts. The aim of this study is to determine the reliability and internal consistency of accelerometric measurements, related to static equilibrium and gait in children aged 6 to 12 years. Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study involved 70 healthy children (50% girls) with a mean age of 9 years old. At the height of the 4th lumbar vertebra and directly on the skin, an accelerometer was placed on each participant. All of them had to complete four trials three times: balancing on one leg with eyes closed and eyes open, dynamic balancing on one leg on a foam mat, and normal gait. Results: Results show that tests performed in older children had higher internal consistency than those performed in younger children (vertical axis r = 0.82, sagittal axis r = 0.77, and perpendicular axis r = 0.74). Tests performed in children aged 8 years or older presented a strong correlation between trials (r > 0.71). The three static equilibrium tests obtained reliability values between 0.76 y 0.84. On the contrary, gait test obtained inferior and poorer results (0.6 < r < 0.71). Conclusions: This method of assessment obtained positive results as an instrument for the quantitative assessment of balance in school-aged children. Values obtained for the three one-leg balance and static tests,were more strongly correlated than the normal gait test for all axes.

Validity and Reliability of a Tool for Accelerometric Assessment of Balance in Scholar Children

“…The accelerometer GT3X+ (Actigraph ® , Pensacola, FL, USA) provides data on body movements in three axes: the Pensacola measurements were configured for a time frame of 1 s. This protocol has previously been applied and validated in both adults and children [ 13 , 14 ].…”

“…Using a low frequency helps to eliminate any acceleration noise [ 6 ]. Thus, a frequency of 50 Hz was selected to achieve greater accuracy in the analysis of postural balance [ 13 ]. Raw data were collected at the selected sample rate and processed using ActiLife software (Actigraph ® , Pensacola, FL, USA).…”

Accelerometric Assessment of Postural Balance in Children: A Systematic Review

“…Furthermore, the quality of the selected articles was established under the following scale: low (<33.3%), medium (33.4–66.7%), and high (>66.8%) [ 29 , 30 ]. Of the 18 articles analyzed, 7 showed medium quality [ 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 ] and 10 showed high quality [ 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 ] ( Table S1—Supplementary Materials ).…”

“…Those which employed a cross-sectional observational methodology were focused on estimating the normative assessment data through the Sway Balance System (SBS) method [ 31 ], evaluating the magnitude of anticipatory postural adjustments [ 42 ] and quantifying accelerations during gait (during normal gait [ 33 , 37 ], with trajectory and velocity changes [ 39 ], and while performing a cognitive task [ 35 ]). One study combined the analysis of static balance and balance during gait in order to determine the reliability and validity of accelerometry to evaluate balance in children [ 46 ]. Other cross-sectional studies used ACCs for the analysis of static balance with the aim of estimating the normative assessment data through the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) method [ 41 ], evaluating PC of children in a seated position [ 44 ], determining the relationship between PC during gait and PC in a seated position [ 36 ], and assessing the effect of regular physical activity practice on the development of PC [ 47 ].…”

“…Two groups of studies were differentiated based on the following aspect: those which exclusively used heathy individuals in their samples [ 31 , 39 , 41 , 46 , 47 ] and those which included children with pathologies. Among the latter, the state of postural control in children with cerebral palsy (CP) was the study object in eight studies: exclusively in four of them [ 32 , 36 , 43 , 44 ], using data of children with TD as the control group in three [ 37 , 40 , 42 ], and, lastly, analyzing children with TD, healthy young and older adults, and older people with subacute stroke in one study [ 34 ].…”