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Balance Board Test

The Balance Board test is an agility and balance (equilibrium) test. The test requires participants to stand on a platform and try to keep the platform balanced for a period of 30 seconds. This is an important fitness capacity to measure in the elderly as poor balance can lead to falls and injuries.



test purpose: to measure whole body balance

equipment required: A wooden balance platform measures measuring 50 x 50 x 1.5 cm, with a small 2 cm wide beam running lengthwise down the middle beneath it. Small stoppers are placed on the comers of the platform so that the board cannot tilt more than 18°. Contacts connected to a timer are placed on the underside of the platform, exactly in the middle of the left and right halves.

pre-test: Explain the test procedures to the subject. Perform screening of health risks and obtain informed consent. Prepare forms and record basic information such as age, height, body weight, gender, test conditions. Perform an appropriate warm-up. See more details of pre-test procedures.

balance boardbalance board

procedure: The participant is instructed to stand on the platform with toes pointed outward (15°) and heels 15 cm apart. The participant must try to keep the platform balanced for a period of 30 seconds. The timer stops when the contacts touch the floor. After one practice trial the best score of three trials is recorded.

scoring: The score is the total time that neither contact touches the floor, expressed in counts (1 count = 0.3 s; 100 counts = 30). Thus the maximum score is 100 (for 30 seconds), and the higher scores indicate better performance.

target population: this test was designed specifically for the elderly population.

disadvantages: an apparatus specifically for this test needs to be obtained

reference: Koen A.P.Lemmink, Han Kemper, Mathieu H.G. de Greef, and Piet Rispens P, Stevens M, Reliability of the Groningen Fitness Test for the Elderly, Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 2001, 9, 194-212



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