• The ability to maintain equilibrium
against force of gravity.
Static
&
Dynamic
This is the ability to maintain
equilibrium while stationary.
This is the ability to maintain equilibrium
while in motion or to move the body or
parts of the body from one point to another
and maintain equilibrium.
Balance is important!!
To help improve one’s balance it must be measured to see what aspects of their
balance need improving.
The main point is that balance can be improved through activities that place
individual’s in a state of imbalance, forcing them to recover balance.
You should seek to develop the appropriate program for patients.
Balance test are classified as static or
dynamic and are reviewed as practical,
inexpensive to the administrator, and
satisfactory for both sexes.
Stork Stand
• Objective: to measure stationary balance
while the body weight is supported on the
ball of the foot of the dominant leg.
• Age Level: 10-college-age
• Equipment: stopwatch
• Validity: face validity
• Reliability: Coefficients of .85 and .87 have
been reported using the test-retest method
• Objectivity: Johnson and Nelson report a
study that found an objective coefficient of
.99
• Norms: chart on next slide
• Scoring: best time in seconds of the 3 trials
• Objective: to measure stationary balance while the weight
of the body is supported on a small base of support on the
ball of the foot
• Age Level: 10-college-age
• Equipment: Sticks 1” X 1” X 12”
• Validity: Face validity is accepted
• Reliability: .90
• Norms: Chart on previous slide
• Scoring: The score is the total time in seconds for all six
trials, three on each foot.
• This is the same as the lengthwise test except that the ball of the
foot is placed crosswise on the stick.
• Test objective: to measure the ability to maintain balance during
movement and upon landing form a leap.
• Age Level: high school –college
• Equipment: Stopwatch, tape measure, and floor tape
• Validity: Face validity; .46 when correlated with Bass test of dynamic
balance
• Reliability: .75 using test-retest
• Objectivity: .97
• Norms: Johnson and Nelson provide norms for college women
• Scoring: 5 points for landing on tape mark, 1 point for each second the
steady position is help on tape mark ; which gives a maximum of 10
points per tape mark and a 100 points may be earned.
• Test performer is penalized 5 points if: failing to stop upon landing,
touching the floor with any part of the body other than the ball of the
landing foot or failing to completely cover the tape mark with the ball of
the foot.
• Test Objective: to measure balance while walking on a
balance beam
• Age Level: 9-college-age
• Equipment: regulation balance beam and stopwatch
• Validity: face validity
• Norms: no norms reposted
• Scoring: pass/fail. No time limit for the beam walk. The test
difficulty can be increased through the use of a 2-inch
balance beam.
• Test Objective: to measure the ability to maintain balance during
movement and upon landing from a leap.
• Age Level: junior high- college
• Equipment: Stopwatch, tape measure, and floor tape
• Validity: face validity
• Reliability: .66 to .88 at different age levels
• Norms: no norms reported
• Scoring: The maximum number of points for each trial is 15
1. 5 points for landing correctly on spot A
2. 5 points for leaning and pushing the object off spot B or C
3. 1 point for each second that balance is held on spot A, up to 5
seconds
Nichols, Aresnault, and Giuffre
recommended the following activities
for the teaching of balance to
elementary students, but the activities,
or modifications of them, may be
practiced at any level.
• 1. Jump off a low bench, landing with both feet inside a hoop.
• 2. Jump forward off a chair and clap hands above head while
in midair
• 3. Jump forward off a chair with one foot going forward and
the other backward, and land with the legs back together.
• 4. Jump forward off a low bench, make a half turn in midair,
and land facing the bench.
• 5. Jump sideways off a low bench. Jump backward.
• 6. Jump forward off a chair and catch a ball in midair.
• The balance beam can be altered to increase difficulty by
inclines, widths, and heights.