Reliability of the sub-components of the instrumented timed up and go test in ambulatory children with traumatic brain injury and typically developed controls

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BackgroundStudies have evaluated the test-re-test reliability of subcomponents of the timed up and-go test in adults by using body-worn inertial sensors. However, studies in children have not been reported in the literature. Research QuestionTo evaluate the within-session reliability of subcomponents of a newly developed electronically augmented timed 'upand-go' test (EATUG) in ambulatory children with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and children with typical development (TD). MethodThe timed up and go test was administered to twelve consecutive ambulatory children with moderate to severe TBI (6 males and 6 females, age 10.5 ± 1.5 years, range 8–13 years, during inpatient rehabilitation at 27.0 ± 11.8 days following injury) and 10 TD age and sex-matched children (5 males and 5 females, 10.4 ± 1.3 years, range 8–11 years). Participants wore a single chest-mounted inertial measurement sensor package with custom software that measured angular and acceleration velocity and torso flexion and extension angles, while they performed 6 trials of the EATUG test. Measures were derived from the overall time to complete the TUG test, angular velocity and angular displacement data for torso flexion and extension during sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit segments and both mean and peak angular velocities for two turning segments (i.e. turning around a cone and turning-before-sitting). ResultsWithin-session reliability of the subcomponents of the TUG test for children with TBI assessed by the intra-class correlation coefficient was ICC (1,1) = 0.84, (range 0.82–0.96), and for TD children ICC (1,1) = 0.73, (range 0.53–0.89). Scores on Total Time, maximum torso flexion/extension angle and peak flexion angular velocity during sit-tostand, and peak turn angular velocity for both turns around the cone and turns before sitting were lower for children with TBI than for TD children (p ≤ 0.05). SignificanceThe EATUG test is a reliable measure of physical function in children with TBI who are being discharged from inpatient rehabilitation.