Postural Control Ability Research Articles

Dynamical analysis of balance in vestibular schwannoma patients

The analysis of the complexity of postural fluctuations is a recent method for assessing postural control. Complexity relates to the irregularity of the center of pressure time series and characterizes the ability of postural control to meet a changing environment. In our study, we used the sample entropy (SampEn) parameter to evaluate the complexity of postural sway velocity time series in patients with vestibular schwannoma (n=19) compared to healthy controls (n=20), using the sensory organization test. Patients performed postural assessments three days before surgical ablation of the tumor, then three times after surgery, at eight, thirty, and ninety days. The control group underwent posturographic tests only once. Our results demonstrated that SampEn values distinguished both groups before surgery only in postural tasks where vestibular afferences significantly contribute to maintaining balance. We also found an immediate decrease of complexity after the surgical resection of the tumor. Our results are in line with the theory of complexity loss of physiological systems stating that reducing the number of their structural components or altering their coupling leads to a decrease in complexity. Finally, our findings showed that progressive restoration of complexity over time was such that no difference was found between the two groups ninety days after surgery, due to the implementation of central adaptive mechanisms and the substitution by other sensory afferences. Thus, the SampEn parameter can highlight the postural effects of vestibular pathology, and complexity analysis appears to be a valuable tool for investigating the temporal structure of CoP time series.

Quantification of postural control deficits in patients with recent concussion: An inertial-sensor based approach

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to quantify postural control ability in a group with concussion compared with a healthy control group. MethodFifteen concussion patients (4 females, 11 males) and a group of fifteen age- and sex-matched controls were recruited. Participants were tested during the performance of the three stance variants (bilateral, tandem and unilateral) of the balance error scoring system standing on a force place, while wearing an inertial measurement unit placed at the posterior aspect of the sacrum. FindingsThe area of postural sway was computed using the force-plate and the ‘95% ellipsoid volume of sway’ was computed from the accelerometer data. Concussed patients exhibited increased sway area (1513mm2 [95% CI: 935 to 2091mm2] vs 646mm2 [95% CI: 519 to 772mm2]; p=0.02) and sway volume (9.46m3s−6 [95% CI: 8.02 to 19.94m3s−6] vs 2.68m3s−6 [95% CI: 1.81 to 3.55m3s−6]; p=0.01) in the bilateral stance position of the balance error scoring system. The sway volume metric also had excellent accuracy in identifying task ‘errors’ (tandem stance: 91% accuracy [95% CI: 85–96%], p<0.001; unilateral stance: 91% accuracy [95% CI: 86–96%], p<0.001). InterpretationIndividuals with concussion display increased postural sway during bilateral stance. The sway volume that was calculated from the accelerometer data not only differentiated a group with concussion from a healthy control group, but successfully identified when task errors had occurred. This may be of value in the development of a pitch-side assessment system for concussion.

The Frequency Analysis of Body Sway Affected by Visual Information:A Study of the Postural Control Ability Among Toddlers

The Frequency Analysis of Body Sway Affected by Visual Information:A Study of the Postural Control Ability Among Toddlers

Effects of kinesio taping on the gait parameters of children with cerebral palsy: a pilot study

Objective: Children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy show weakness especially in the lower-ex-tremity rather than upper-extremity muscles and display characteristics such as asymmetric alignment, deficits in postural control or balance ability, and slow walking speed. Various therapeutic interventions are applied to children with cerebral palsy, of which taping is widely used in the field of rehabilitation, however, there are few studies of the effects of kinesio taping on gait patterns of children with cerebral palsy. The present study investigated the effects of kinesio taping on gait parameters of children with cerebral palsy. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Four children with spastic diplegia participated in this study. The participants` gait parameters while walking 10 m with and without kinesio taping (tibialis anterior, quadriceps femoris, and gluteus maximus) were recorded. Gait parameters including gait velocity, cadence, step length, stride length, single support time, and double support time were evaluated using the GAITRite. Mean values were obtained after having the subjects walk three times in each condition with a 5-minute rest period between each condition. The order of each condition was assigned randomly. Results: There were significant improvements in gait velocity, step length, stride length, and single support time of the right leg with kinesio taping condition compared to the without kinesio taping condition taping (p<0.05). However, there were no significant differences in cadence, single support time of the left leg, or double support time. Conclusions: The results show that kinesio taping may have a positive effect for improving gait parameters of children with spastic diplegia. However, its usefulness in the rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy needs to be further investigated.

The effects of unstable surface balance training on postural sway, stability, functional ability and flexibility in women.

This study examined the effects of balance training routine, using both sides utilized balance trainer (BOSU) and aerobic step (STEP) on postural sway and functional ability in middle-aged women. Twenty-seven females participated in the study, age 40.6±12.0 years, body mass 72.0±14.0 kg, height 164.0±7.7 cm, BMI 26.5±4.5 kg/m2, and relative body fat 33.1±7.4%. Participants were divided into two groups and performed progressive exercise routine on either STEP or BOSU for three weeks. Pre- and post-test consisted of Postural Sway Test performed on the Biodex Balance System, Functional Ability Test, Sit and Reach Test and Plank. A significant time effect was observed for both groups for sway index(P=0.029) and center of pressure antero-posterior (AP) displacement (P=0.038) but not for sway area or medio-lateral (ML) displacement (P>0.05). In addition, BOSU group had significantly lower Sway Index(P=0.048) and ML range (P=0.035) scores when vision and surface was altered compared to STEP group. A significant time effect was observed in walking-up the stairs (P=0.020), sit and reach test (P=0.035), and plank (P<0.001), but not for walking down the stairs. However, no other significant interactions were observed. Programs that incorporate multisensory balance training have a potential to induce adaptive responses in neuromuscular system that enhances postural control, balance and functional ability of women. The training using BOSU may help improve static balance and functional ability in women.

Evaluation of a smartphone-based assessment system in subjects with chronic ankle instability

BackgroundAnkle sprain is the most common sports-related injury, and approximately 80% of patients studied suffered recurrent sprains. These repeated ankle injuries could cause chronic ankle instability, a decrease in sports performance, and a decrease in postural control ability. At the present time, smartphones have become very popular and powerful devices, and smartphone applications (apps) that have been shown to have good validity have been designed to measure human body motion. However, the app focusing on ankle function assessment and rehabilitation is still not widely used and has very limited functions. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of smartphone-based systems in the assessment of postural control ability for patients with chronic ankle instability. MethodsFifteen physically active adults (6 male, 9 female; aged = 23.4 ± 5.28 years; height = 167.13 ± 7.3 cm; weight = 62.06 ± 10.82 kg; BMI = 22.08 ± 2.57 kg/ m2) were recruited, and these participants had at least one leg that was evaluated as scoring lower than 27 points according to the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT). The smartphone used in the study was ASUS Zenfone 2, and an app developed using MIT App Inventor was used to record built-in accelerometer data during the assessment process. Subjects were asked to perform single leg stance for 20 s in eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions with each leg. The smartphone was fixed in an upright position on the middle of the shin, using an exercise armband, with the screen facing forward. The average of recorded acceleration data was used to represent the postural control performance, and higher values indicated more instability. Data were analyzed with a paired t-test with SPSS 17.0, and the statistical significance was set as alpha <0.05. ResultsA significant difference was found between CAIT scores from the healthier leg and injured leg (healthier leg 23.07 ± 3.80 vs. injured leg 18.27 ± 3.92, p < 0.001). Significant differences were also found between the scores for the healthier leg and injured leg during both eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions (eyes-open: healthier leg 0.051 ± 0.018 vs. injured leg 0.072 ± 0.034, p = 0.027; eyes-closed: healthier leg 0.100 ± 0.031 vs. injured leg 0.123 ± 0.038, p = 0.001, unit: m/s2). Significant differences were also found between eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions during both single leg standing with healthier leg and injured leg (healthier leg: eyes-open 0.051 ± 0.018 vs. eyes-closed 0.100 ± 0.031, p < 0.001; injured leg: eyes-open 0.072 ± 0.034 vs. eyes-closed 0.123 ± 0.038, p = 0.001, unit: m/s2). The results demonstrate that the smartphone software can be used to discriminate between the different performances of the healthier leg and injured leg, and also between eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions. ConclusionThe smartphone may have the potential to be a convenient, easy-to-use, and feasible tool for the assessment of postural control ability on subjects with chronic ankle instability.

Effects of Freezing of Gait and Visual Information on the Static Postural Control Ability in Patients with Parkinson's Disease

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of freezing of gait and visual information on the static postural control ability in patients with Parkinson``s Disease (PD) during the bipedal stance with feet together. Method: This study included a total of 36 patients with PD; the freezer group included 17 PD patients (age: 69.3±6.2 yrs, height: 159.6±9.0 cm, weight: 63.4±9.78 kg) and the nonfreezer group included 19 PD patients (age: 71.4±5.6 yrs, height: 155.8±7.1 cm, weight: 57.7±8.6 kg). Static postural control ability was analyzed using variables of center of pressure (COP) and dividing by mediolateral, anteroposterior, and integration factors during a bipedal stance with the eyes open and closed. Results: Freezers and nonfreezers showed increases in anteroposterior velocity, mediolateral velocity, averaged velocity, and mediolateral 95% edge frequency when visual information was blocked. Additionally, freezers had greater anteroposterior range, 95% confidence ellipse area, and COP anteroposterior mean position than nonfreezers. Conclusion: Freezers and nonfreezers showed a reduction in static postural control ability when visual information was blocked. Additionally, the results of this study found a significant difference in static postural control ability between freezers and nonfreezers with PD. In particular, anteroposterior range, 95% confidence ellipse area, and COP anteroposterior mean position might be used to distinguish between freezers and nonfreezers with PD.

AGE-RELATED CHANGES IN POSTURAL RE-BALANCED ABILITY DURING A CONTINUOUS AND UNEXPECTED PERTURBATION INTEGRATED WITH VIRTUAL REALITY SCENES

The degeneration of sensory and motor systems due to aging could affect the elderly’s posture and increase the risk of falling. The strategies applied to maintain postural stability might be different between ages, especially in the condition requiring both proprioception and vision sensorimotor coupling. This study proposed a novel sensorimotor assessment protocol to evaluate the postural control ability across the aging process, by using the computerized dynamic posturography and the virtual reality (VR) system. Ten young and 20 elderly healthy adults without fall experience were recruited, and were assessed on a continuous-perturbed platform with or without the VR-based visual interference in a random sequence. Measured variables of the center of pressure as well as the weight-bearing ratio were analyzed and compared. Results showed that the postural sway was significantly larger in all subjects under the VR condition, but the young subjects could rapidly adjust the body to regain postural stability in a rhythmic and symmetric manner; whereas, the elderly adults performed less effectively in postural response. We suggested that the application of the multiple sensation disturbances with VR could effectively evaluate the postural control ability among the healthy elderly. The proposed assessing protocol is also recommended for training the sensorimotor integration to improve the dynamic postural control ability.

Evaluation Of Smartphone-Based Assessment System In Chronic Ankle Instability

Ankle sprains are the most common sports-related injury. About 80% subjects suffer recurrent sprains. Repeated injuries may cause chronic ankle instability, which will affect sports efficacy and postural control ability. In recent years, smartphones had become very popular and powerful devices, and been showed to have good validity on measuring range of motion and assessing gait patterns. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of smartphone-based system in postural control ability assessment on chronic ankle instability. METHODS: Fifteen subjects (6 male, 9 female; age=23.4±5.28 y/o) who have at least one leg scoring lower than 27 points in Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool were recruited. ASUS Zenfone 2 smartphone was used to conduct the postural control assessment, by recording its built-in accelerometer data with an App developed using MIT App inventor. Subjects performed single leg stance for 20 seconds in eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions with each leg. The smartphone was fixed on the middle of shin with an exercise armband. The average of recorded acceleration data was used to represent the postural control performance, and the higher value indicated more instability. Data was analyzed with paired t-test with SPSS 17.0, and statistical significance was set as alpha < 0.05. RESULTS: Significant difference was found between sound leg and injured leg under both eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions (eyes-open: sound leg 0.051±0.018 vs injured leg 0.072±0.034, p=0.027; eyes-closed: sound leg 0.100±0.031 vs injured leg 0.123±0.038, p=0.001, unit: g). Significant difference was also found between eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions under both single leg standing with sound leg and injured leg (sound leg: eyes-open 0.051±0.018 vs eyes-closed 0.100±0.031, p<0.001; injured leg: eyes-open 0.072±0.034 vs eyes-closed 0.123±0.038, p=0.001, unit: g). The results demonstrate that the smartphone can be used to discriminate the different performance between sound leg and injured leg, and also between eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions. CONCLUSION: The study shows that smartphone may have the potential to be a convenient, easy-used and valid tool for assessment of postural control ability on chronic ankle instability.

The Effects of 12 weeks Hatha-yoga Exercise upon Changes in Postural Control Ability of High School Girls

The Effects of 12 weeks Hatha-yoga Exercise upon Changes in Postural Control Ability of High School Girls

中高齢者における動的姿勢制御能力と腹部断面積との関連性

Dynamic postural control ability is necessary for fall prevention in our daily lives. It has been suggested that dynamic postural control ability is highly related to the muscles in the trunk as well as the lower limbs for the keep and move of the body. In this study, we reveal relationship between dynamic postural control ability and abdominal area. Subjects including 31 middle-aged people consist of 12 men and 19 women (mean age 60.0±7.6 years). We measured visceral fat area and cross-sectional area of the trunk muscle using abdominal computed tomography scan. The unstable tilt board is used for measuring dynamic postural control ability. Through multiple regression analysis, it is possible to relate dynamic postural control ability from gender, visceral fat, and deep trunk muscle such as psoas major muscle on abdominal computed tomography scan. It is considered that dynamic postural control ability involved not only increasing the volume of deep trunk muscle but also decreasing the amount of visceral fat.

Effects of balance imagery of semi-tandem stance on a flat floor and balance beam for postural control: a comparison between older and younger adults

Objective: Balance is a preceding task for functional activities in daily activities as well as community-dwelling activities. To learn skilled and functional activities, it is also necessary to imagine an appropriate and effective movement representation used to plan and execute the functional activities. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of balance imagery of semi-tandem stance on a flat floor and balance beam on balance abilities for elderly and young adults. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Fifteen elderly and thirty-four young adults were enrolled in this study. In order to determine whether there is a change in postural control ability according to the different imagery training methods used, standing static balance measurements were performed. According to the therapist s instructions, participants were to stand in a semi-tandem position on the Good Balance System for 1 minute while imagining that they were standing on a balance beam, and while the postural control abilities was assessed. Results: Postural control was significantly different in balance ability of semi-tandem stance on a flat floor compared to on a balance beam in both geriatrics and young adults. Postural sway was more significantly decreased in young adults than older adults during balance imagery of semi-tandem stance on a flat floor as well as on balance beam (p<0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the ability to mentally represent their actions was similar in older adults compared to young adults, although older adults showed a drop in efficiency of postural control more than young adults.

Direction-specific impairment of stability limits and falls in children with developmental coordination disorder: Implications for rehabilitation

Limit of stability (LOS) is an important yet under-examined postural control ability in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). This study aimed to (1) compare the LOS and fall frequencies of children with and without DCD, and (2) explore the relationships between LOS parameters and falls in the DCD population. Thirty primary school-aged children with DCD and twenty age- and sex-matched typically-developing children participated in the study. Postural control ability, specifically LOS in standing, was evaluated using the LOS test. Reaction time, movement velocity, maximum excursion, end point excursion, and directional control were then calculated. Self-reported fall incidents in the previous week were also documented. Multivariate analysis of variance results revealed that children with DCD had shorter LOS maximum excursion in the backward direction compared to the control group (p=0.003). This was associated with a higher number of falls in daily life (rho=−0.556, p=0.001). No significant between-groups differences were found in other LOS-derived outcomes (p>0.05). Children with DCD had direction-specific postural control impairment, specifically, diminished LOS in the backward direction. This is related to their falls in daily life. Therefore, improving LOS should be factored into rehabilitation treatment for children with DCD.

A Study on Core Stability Training for Postural Control Ability and Respiratory Function in Patients with Chronic Stroke

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the core-stability training on postural control ability and respiratory function in patients with chronic stroke. 30 subjects were randomly assigned to 2 groups. Experimental group (n=15) received core-stability training and control group (n=15) received general exercise. Each program was performed 30 min, 4 times a week for a period of 8 weeks.Core-stability training included a therapeutic program to train abdominal muscle strength. General exercise include weight bearing and weight shifts and joint movements to improve flexibility and the range of motion. For all 30 subject, the items measured before the training were measured after the therapeutic intervention. To observe postural control changes, we measured maintenance & change of posture, balance and coordination ability with postural assessment scale for stroke (PASS) and trunk impairment scale (TIS). The respiratory functions were measured forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume at one second (FEV1) using spirometer. After training, the PASS and TIS scores was significantly improved in experimental group (p<.05), and the experimental group showed significantly difference from control group (p<.05). In respiratory function test, experimental group more significantly increased than before (p<.05), and showed significantly difference from control group (p<.05). The results of this study showed that the core-stability training may be appropriate for improving the trunk stability and respiratory function in chronic stroke patients.

Age-related Changes in Dynamic Postural Control Ability in the Presence of Sensory Perturbation

For the development of fall prevention programs, the dynamic postural control of elderly persons under conditions when their senses are perturbed needs to be investigated. The present study investigates the manner in which elderly persons respond to external perturbations when their visual and somatic senses are disturbed. The subjects included 4 healthy older adults and 6 young adults. In the experiment, external perturbation was introduced through a platform that was movable in four directions (forward, backward, right, and left). The effects of sensory disturbance created by wearing translucent goggles and standing on a soft floor were examined. The responses were measured in terms of the center of pressure (COP) on the force plate, the electromyographic (EMG) activity, and the joint angle from video analysis. The COP analysis showed that the older group, especially in the presence of sensory disturbances, required a longer time than that for the younger group to return to an erect standing position after external perturbations (recovery time). The EMG indicated that the older group used the articular muscles of the knee to respond to postural perturbations involving up-and-down movements. The recovery time is a characteristic parameter of the response to external perturbations in the presence of sensory disturbances, and thus a potentially useful indicator in evaluating balance ability. The increases in knee muscle’ activities were due to reduced ankle joint torque, which is presumably one of the causes of the prolonged recovery time. These findings could be applied to the development of fall prevention training.

The Effect of Visual Information on the Postural Control Ability among Elementary School Children

The Effect of Visual Information on the Postural Control Ability among Elementary School Children

Postural control and sensory information integration abilities of boys with two subtypes of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a case-control study

Background Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most commonly diagnosed psychiatric disorder in childhood. ADHD children with overlapping symptoms and signs of motor problems have more serious prognosis than that of children with ADHD only. However, the motor and sensory processing problems in children with ADHD have not been studied well. Few people adopt the technique of computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) in the study of ADHD, which is applied widely in clinical and laboratory research to objectively evaluate human's balance performance. This study aimed to assess the characteristics of postural control and sensory information processing of boys with two subtypes of ADHD by using CDP, so as to provide the proof for non-drug therapy of ADHD. Method From June 2003 to September 2004, a total of 73 boys (7–15 years of age) with ADHD and 73 normal developing boys matched by age and intelligence quotient from Peking University Institute of Mental Health were recruited in the study. The Sensory Organization Test was adopted to test the static balance performance under six sensory input conditions by SMART EquiTest 8.0 (NeuroCom) instrument. The sensory information from three sensory systems were available under condition 1, the visual inputs were removed or distorted under condition 2 or 3, the somatosensory inputs were in conflict with or without the visual inputs removed under condition 4 or 5, and both the visual and somatosensory inputs were in conflict under condition 6. The indexes of equilibrium score, somatosensory, vestibular, and visual ratios, and strategy scores were analyzed to indicate the subjects’ postural control ability. Results ADHD boys had significantly lower composite equilibrium score (CES) than the normal group (P &lt;0.05). Under condition 1 and conditions 3–6, the equilibrium scores (ES) of the ADHD group were significantly lower (all P &lt;0.05) than those of the control. Significantly lower visual and vestibular ratios and strategy scores under conditions 4–6 were found in boys with ADHD compared with the control group (P &lt;0.05). Boys of ADHD-predominantly inattentive (ADHD-I) type had a significantly lower CES and ES under conditions 4–6 than the controls (all P &lt;0.05) while the ESs of ADHD-combined type (ADHD-C) boys under each condition were similar with that of boys with ADHD-I and no significant difference was found between boys with ADHD-C and the control group (all P &gt;0.05). Compared with the control group, the ADHD-I boys showed significantly lower visual and vestibular ratios and strategy scores under conditions 4–6 whereas the ADHD-C boys showed a trend of lower visual ratio (all P &lt;0.05). Conclusions ADHD boys had a poorer static postural control ability and impaired function of processing visual and vestibular information compared with the normal control. Boys with ADHD-I showed particularly severe defect of static postural control and vestibular function integrating conflict information than normal boys. These deficits may be an important contributor to the clinical presentation of ADHD children and their cognitive deficits. Assessment and training of postural control function would be suggested during the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD children.

The Utility of the Balance Error Scoring System for Mild Brain Injury Assessments in Children and Adolescents

The Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) is widely recognized as an acceptable assessment of postural control for adult patients following a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or concussion. However, the measurement properties of the BESS as a post-mTBI assessment test for younger patients are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of the BESS as a post-mTBI assessment test for children and adolescents aged 8 to 18 years through 2 investigations: (1) a retrospective medical records review of the relationship among age, BESS scores, and other common post-mTBI assessment tests; and (2) a prospective study comparing BESS scores for a cohort of children with a recent mTBI and BESS scores for a cohort of matched healthy peers. Age was found to be significantly correlated with several of the BESS measures and the total BESS score (P < 0.05). Significant differences were observed between the injured and healthy cohorts for 3 of the BESS measures and the total BESS score. However, the observed differences were not likely to be clinically meaningful. Cumulatively, evidence from the literature and the results of these studies indicate that the BESS may be limited for producing accurate assessments of younger athletes' post-mTBI postural control abilities. Future research recommendations include testing of modified versions of the BESS or other alternatives for post-mTBI postural control assessments with younger individuals.

Use of wavelet coherence to assess two-joint coordination during quiet upright stance

Joint coordination plays a critical role in maintaining postural stability, yet there is limited existing work describing joint coordination patterns in the time–frequency domain. Here, two-joint coordination was examined during quiet upright stance. A wavelet coherence method was applied to quantify the coherence between ankle–trunk and ankle–head angles in the sagittal and frontal planes. Wavelet coherence results indicated intermittent joint coordination particularly for frequencies of 2.5–4.0Hz. Coherence results were further processed to estimate mean time intervals between coherence instances, coherence burst frequency, and the ratio of in-phase versus anti-phase behaviors. Time intervals between intermittent coherence were 1.3–1.5sec, coherence burst frequency was ~0.4Hz, and phase ratios were ~1.0. Intermittent “bursting” of postural muscles may account for the finding of intermittent coherence in the noted frequency band. Some age and/or gender differences in coherence were found, and may be related to comparable differences in postural control ability or strategies. Results from application of this new method support earlier evidence that kinematic coordination is achieved intermittently rather than continuously during quiet upright stance. This method may provide richer information regarding such coordination, and could be a useful approach in future studies.

Correlations between Berg balance scale and gait speed in individuals with stroke wearing ankle–foot orthoses – a pilot study

Purpose: The Berg balance scale (BBS) is commonly used to assess balancing ability in patients with stroke. The BBS may be a good candidate for clinical assessment prior to orthotic intervention, if it correlates well with outcome measures such as gait speed. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between the BBS measured prior to walking with an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) and specific temporal-spatial parameters of gait when walking with an AFO donned. Methods: Eight individuals with chronic stroke participated in this study. Balancing ability was assessed using the BBS, while temporal–spatial parameters of gait (gait speed, bilateral step length, stride length and step width) were measured using a three-dimensional motion analysis system. The correlations between the BBS and gait parameters were investigated using a non-parametric Kendall’s Tau (τ) correlation analysis. Results: The BBS showed correlations with gait speed (τ = 0.64, p < 0.05), the step length of the affected side (τ = 0.74, p < 0.05), and the stride length (τ = 0.64, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Assessment of the BBS prior to AFO prescription may potentially help clinicians to estimate the gait speed achievable following orthotic intervention in patients with stroke.Implications for RehabilitationAssessment of the BBS prior to AFO prescription may help orthotists to estimate the gait speed following an orthotic intervention in patients with stroke.Assessment of the BBS prior to AFO prescription may help orthotists to understand overall balance and postural control abilities in patients with stroke.A larger scale multifactorial analysis is warranted to confirm the results of this pilot study.