AUTHOR=Eriksrud Ola , Federolf Peter A. , Cabri Jan 

TITLE=Influence of Anthropometry, Age, Sex, and Activity Level on the Hand Reach Star Excursion Balance Test

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2019

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00756

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00756

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=The influence of anthropometric measurements, age, sex and activity level have been found to influence tests of dynamic postural control such as the star excursion balance test (SEBT).  The hand reach star excursion balance test (HSEBT) measures different aspects of dynamic postural control. The purpose of the present study was to explore the influence of these factors on the HSEBT. A convenience sample of 223 subjects performed four horizontal (L45, R45, L135 and R135) and two rotational (LROT and RROT) reaches. The influence of anthropometric measurements (height, arm length, leg length and wingspan) on reach measurements were assessed using stepwise linear regression. Influence of age (young: <20 years; adult: >20 years), sex (male; female) and level of physical activity (athletes; recreational) on reach measurements were analyzed using independent samples t-test (p<.05) and interpreted using effect size (Cohens d) and established values of minimal detectable change (MDC). Wingspan explained a significant portion of the variance of only R45 (31.9%) and L45 (13.7%) reach measurements and normalized (percentage wingspan). A medium effect of age, sex and activity level was observed for normalized L45 and R45 reaches (d= .50 to .72). Group differences greater than MDC values and a medium effect for age (d= .55) and level of physical activity (d= .75) were observed for the R135 reach. L45 and R45 reaches should be normalized to wingspan, but not the other reaches. Between individual or group comparisons should consider age, physical activity level and sex as potential covariates.