Review of the Upright Balance Assessment Based on the Force Plate.

Baoliang Chen,Zhengshi Liu,Peng Liu,Feiyun Xiao,Yong Wang

doi:10.3390/ijerph18052696

Baoliang Chen, Zhengshi Liu + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052696

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Abstract

Quantitative assessment is crucial for the evaluation of human postural balance. The force plate system is the key quantitative balance assessment method. The purpose of this study is to review the important concepts in balance assessment and analyze the experimental conditions, parameter variables, and application scope based on force plate technology. As there is a wide range of balance assessment tests and a variety of commercial force plate systems to choose from, there is room for further improvement of the test details and evaluation variables of the balance assessment. The recommendations presented in this article are the foundation and key part of the postural balance assessment; these recommendations focus on the type of force plate, the subject’s foot posture, and the choice of assessment variables, which further enriches the content of posturography. In order to promote a more reasonable balance assessment method based on force plates, further methodological research and a stronger consensus are still needed.

Highlights

Injuries due to falls represent a major worldwide public health problem [1,2,3,4]
This article attempts to explain the importance of the standardization of experimental conditions based on dynamometer, the analysis method of posture balance, and the selection of variables in balance evaluation
Consistency of environmental conditions, the use of dual force plates, natural foot posture to prevent fatigue caused by long time or high difficulty, and the postural tasks of subjects with balance disorders need to transition from simple to complex

Summary

Introduction

Injuries due to falls represent a major worldwide public health problem [1,2,3,4]. As per the data in the World Health Organization (2008) report, approximately 28–35% of people aged ≥64 years experience falls every year [5]. The most serious injuries caused by falls include brain trauma and hip fractures, the former accounting for 46% of fatal deaths among the elderly [6]. Balance ability is a key skill for avoiding falls [9,10]. Being able to maintain an upright balance without falling is the primary condition for independent activities of daily living [11,12,13,14].

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