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[Purpose] To investigate the reliability of novice and experienced physiotherapists using the normalized navicular height truncated and the foot posture index-6 for classifying foot posture in healthy adults. [Participants and Methods] Thirty asymptomatic adults participated in this study. After brief training, inter-rater reliability was performed by an expert and inexperienced rater (the novice physiotherapist). On the same day, both raters independently performed the normalized navicular height truncated and the foot posture index-6. For intra-rater reliability, the inexperienced rater repeated data collection on the 8th day after the first assessment. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Cohen’s Weighted Kappa ( K w ) were used for continuous and categorical data, respectively. [Results] The normalized navicular height truncated and the Rasch-converted foot posture index-6 scores demonstrated an excellent inter- and intra-rater reliability (ICCs=0.98–0.99). For classifying foot posture, the normalized navicular height truncated and the total foot posture index-6 scores represented more than 90% inter- and intra-rater agreement with K w values ranging from 0.92–0.94, while each item of foot posture index-6 demonstrated inter- and intra-rater agreement ranging from substantial to almost perfect ( K w =0.71–0.94). [Conclusion] The normalized navicular height truncated and the foot posture index-6 are simple and reliable methods that can be used by the inexperienced rater.

Background: Balance impairment is a common consequence of chronic ankle instability (CAI). This study aimed to assess the discriminative validity of four clinical tests for quantifying balance impairment in individuals with CAI. Methods: Participants were screened for their balance using the single-leg balance test (SLBT) and were assigned to either the positive or the negative SLBT groups. Fifty-four individuals with CAI (N = 27 per group) were recruited and completed four clinical tests including the foot-lift test (FLT), the time-in-balance test (TIBT), the modified star excursion balance test in the posteromedial (mSEBT-PM) direction and the side-hop test (SHT). The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve coupled with Youden index were calculated to determine the optimal cut-off scores of each test. Results: We found significant differences in balance between groups for all tests, with good to excellent values for the area under the ROC curve (AUC). All four tests reached good to excellent sensitivity and specificity values and had significant cut-off scores to discriminate balance performance among CAI participants. Conclusion: All four clinical tests can be conducted with their respective cut-off scores to quantify balance impairment in individuals with CAI.

Postural balance is important for activities of daily living. Patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) exhibit balance problems, such as difficulty performing daily activities. Specifically, CLBP patients with clinical lumbar instability (CLI) have demonstrated deep trunk muscular dysfunction that induces poor postural control and may result in a high risk of falling. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a 10-week core stabilization exercise (CSE) regimen versus a strengthening trunk exercise (STE) regimen and conduct a 3-month follow-up on balance, pain, and trunk muscle activity patterns in CLI patients. A single-blind randomized controlled trial was used to compare the effects of CSE and STE on balance, pain, and trunk muscle activity patterns in 38 CLBP patients with CLI. The results of the 5-times-sit-to-stand test (FTSST) and pain intensity revealed significant improvements in both groups after ten weeks of exercise and at the 3-month follow-up point. However, the differences in the FTSST scores and pain intensity between the CSE and STE patients were not significant. Moreover, the CSE group presented significantly greater deep abdominal muscle activation than the STE group after ten weeks of exercise. In addition, both groups exhibited a trend of improvement in terms of deep back muscle activation. Therefore, the current study results suggest that both exercise regimens can improve balance performance and pain intensity. Moreover, the CSE group showed more significant improvements in deep abdominal muscle activation than the STE group.

This study aimed to evaluate the changes in leg-power generation that accompany competitive badminton, as simulated in a badminton field test (FT). [Participants and Methods] Fifteen male badminton players with 1-2 years of experience performed five repetitions of an FT involving rapid and randomly assigned shuttle-run movements between markers distributed around a badminton court. Repetitions were separated by a 1-minute rest period. Peak mechanical power, obtained from the serial vertical jump tests, was used to estimate fatigue and performance reduction. [Results] Decreases in distance and time were significantly different in each of the five FT repetitions while maintaining the same speed for the condition. The peak mechanical power and fatigue index significantly declined. The reduction in the peak mechanical power percentage (11.78-35.49%) was in the acceptable peak mechanical power range for each FT set. These results were confirmed by the significant increase in the participants' blood lactate concentration levels, the rating of perceived exertion, and heart rate. [Conclusion] Leg-power generation could gradually be decreased in badminton competition as indicated by a badminton field test.