Validity and Reliability of Kinvent Plates for Assessing Single Leg Static and Dynamic Balance in the Field

Abstract

The objective of this study was to validate PLATES for assessing unipodal balance in the field, for example, to monitor ankle instabilities in athletes or patients. PLATES is a pair of lightweight, connected force platforms that measure only vertical forces. In 14 healthy women, we measured ground reaction forces during Single Leg Balance and Single Leg Landing tests, first under laboratory conditions (with PLATES and with a 6-DOF reference force platform), then during a second test session in the field (with PLATES). We found that for these simple unipodal balance tests, PLATES was reliable in the laboratory and in the field: PLATES gives results comparable with those of a reference force platform with 6-DOF for the key variables in the tests (i.e., Mean Velocity of the Center of Pressure and Time to Stabilization). We conclude that health professionals, physical trainers, and researchers can use PLATES to conduct Single Leg Balance and Single Leg Landing tests in the laboratory and in the field.

Assessing the Impact of Fencing on Postural Parameters: Observational Study Findings on Elite Athletes

“…The inclusion criteria used for the enrolment were (1) age between 18 and 23 years; (2) a history of high-level training experience of at least 12 years; (3) engaging in one of the three fencing disciplines (foil, épée, or sabre); and (4) a training frequency of at least sessions per week. The exclusion criteria were (1) injuries that occurred in the previous 3 months; (2) participation or involvement in training other than that one related to their fencing activity; and (3) use of drugs, medications, or other conditions that could influence the test results or that could have introduced a bias into the study. The characteristics of the sample are reported in Table 1.…”

“…Physical exercise and sports practice constitute a continuously evolving field of research, focused on understanding the specific effects of different sports activities on physiological and biomechanical parameters. Baropodometry, which focuses on measuring and analysing the centre of pressure (COP) of the feet, is widely acknowledged as a crucial component for evaluating postural balance across different populations [1][2][3][4].…”

Comparison between Exercise Program–Foot Orthoses Treatment and Exercise Program Alone after Pilon Fracture Surgery: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

“…The first condition will involve standing on both the fractured and healthy leg for three repetitions, with open eyes, on the K-Force Plates. The second condition will involve standing on both legs again for three repetitions, this time with eyes closed on the K-Force plates [50,51].…”

“…In the single-leg balance test, participants have to stand on one leg for 10 s while focusing on a point 5 m away, with their hands on their hips and the non-load-bearing leg slightly bent at the hip and knee. The test duration of 10 s was chosen based on the time norms of the closed-eye condition during a unipodal balance exercise [51].…”

“…K-Force Plate K-Force plates are a dependable option for examining both static and dynamic balance across a variety of movements such as standing, squatting, and counter-movement jumps [50]. These plates measure both the center of pressure and weight distribution, allowing for an objective assessment of balance (Figure4)[51,52].Life 2023, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW 9 of 15…”