The relationship between balance using the modified Star Excursion Balance Test and knee extensor strength in recreationally active adults

Moor, Elissa, Lewis, Ellie, Flett, Olivia, Puncher, Abbey, Poller, Daniel and Samuel, Dinesh (2024) The relationship between balance using the modified Star Excursion Balance Test and knee extensor strength in recreationally active adults. CPS Annual Conference 2024, , Manchester, United Kingdom. 11 - 12 Oct 2024.

Abstract

Purpose: Understanding the relationship between balance and muscle strength is important for injury prevention, aiding the development of training programmes and characterising physical performance at every life stage. The modified Star Excursion Balance Test (mSEBT) is commonly used to assess dynamic balance and neuromuscular control in individuals with pathology and Hand-held dynamometry (HHD) to measure maximal isometric muscle strength. Strength and balance are essential in daily life and sporting activities and there are limited studies that explore this relationship at 90 and 20º in recreationally active males and females. The present study investigated the association between dynamic balance measured using the mSEBT and isometric knee extensor (IKE) strength at 90 and 20º using a HHD in recreationally active young males and females with a view to understanding if portable measures can be used instead of complex more expensive alternatives.

Methods: A convenience sample involving 50 recreationally active males and females aged 18-35 years who met the study criteria were recruited. Exclusion criteria included a current or existing neuromusculoskeletal problem including, chronic back pain, a current illness, infection or cutaneous disease, and any neurological condition. Participants performed the mSEBT and IKE strength test using the HHD at 90º and 20º, where the maximum reach distance and force were recorded. The mSEBT values were normalised for leg length and IKE was reported as peak torque. Pearson's correlation was utilised to examine the association between the two measures and intraclass correlation to evaluate variability between trials. A significance value of p<0.05 and the Portney Watkins classification of r values was used.

Results: The mean reach distance for the anterior, posteromedial, posterolateral reach and composite score (%) was 76.0 (± 7.2), 108.8 (± 9.2), 105.4 (± 11.1) and 96.7 (±7.7) respectively. Significant correlations were seen between the anterior direction and IKE at 90º (r=0.296; p=0.037) and 20º (r= 0.340; p=0.016). A weak insignificant correlation was noted between the mSEBT composite score and IKE strength at 90º (r=0.233; p=0.119) and approaching the threshold of significance at 20 ºs (r=0.262; p=0.066). Poor insignificant correlations were observed between IKE and the other mSEBT directions. There were good to excellent intraclass correlations of 0.826, 0.890 and 0.844 for the anterior, posteromedial and posterolateral directions respectively and excellent correlations for HHD measurements of 0.810 for 90º and 0.900 for 20º.

Conclusion(s): Positive correlations with higher associations between the anterior directions and IKE highlight the importance of muscle strength in maintaining dynamic balance and neuromuscular control. Future, studies with larger sample sizes and incorporating other muscle groups would provide more conclusive evidence and increase generalisability.

Impact: These findings indicate that easy to use portable methods of assessing functional outcomes may help identify deficits in physical performance and build capacity by promoting musculoskeletal health and wellbeing in young adults. The results could serve as normative data for recreationally active young adults and provide comparative data against other population groups e.g., young adults with specific pathological conditions, in clinical practice to facilitate effective rehabilitation, performance and fitness to work.

This record has no associated files available for download.

Contributors

Author: Dinesh Samuel

Download statistics