Reliability of a Novel iPhone App on Testing Proprioception of the Lower Extremities
Date
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The term “proprioception” has been used to describe a variety of different mechanisms and systems related to motor control and the sensorimotor system. Stability is an important outcome of proprioception and can be measured through a variety of balance tests. Through measuring stability, an individual’s relative proprioception can be determined. One common balance test is the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS). There are few studies that involve the use of a cellular device, such as an iPhone, to test balance and stability. iPhones are versatile machines with components capable of measuring changes in movement. We aim to create an application that is easy to use, readily accessible, and affordable for users. This project investigated the reliability of a student-designed iPhone app to measure balance on the mildly unstable platform of a rehabilitation device. Results suggest that these methods were a successful pilot study for the internal reliability of the app. Further studies should aim to increase the statistical power and significance of these methods.