The Utility of the Isobalance Force Platform in the Assessment of Balance: Mechanical and Human Subjects Testing

Medically expedient and evidence-based examination metrics that can be employed in a combat setting are needed to assist clinicians in identifying and classifying Soldiers who may have sustained mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI). MRMC agreed to test the IsoBalance device for REF as an instrument to...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lester, M E, Seay, J F, Antczak, A J, Evans, R K, Zambraski, E J, Nindl, B C
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
ACCURACY
ARMY PERSONNEL
BLAST
CLASSIFICATION
COMBAT FORCES
EXPOSURE(PHYSIOLOGY)
HUMAN STANDING BALANCE TESTS
HUMANS
INSTRUMENTATION
ISOBALANCE PLATFORM
LOW RESOLUTION
MEASUREMENT
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
Medicine and Medical Research
TBI(TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES)
TEST AND EVALUATION
Weapons Effects(biological)
WOUNDS AND INJURIES
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Summary:Medically expedient and evidence-based examination metrics that can be employed in a combat setting are needed to assist clinicians in identifying and classifying Soldiers who may have sustained mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI). MRMC agreed to test the IsoBalance device for REF as an instrument to measure postural sway parameters potentially related to an TBI. USARIEM conducted mechanical tests in the laboratory as well as human standing balance tests to assess device utility precision, and accuracy. Data were collected on over 500 healthy soldiers at Ft. Jackson, SC during January 2008 using a standard battery of standing balance tests for comparison to results from the open literature. Over 90% of the data completed were affected but an unexplained signal deviation (artifact) that had a profound effect on the results. Results not affected by artifact were plagued with issues of low data resolution and high variability when compared to similar results reported in the literature. Based on the results of the mechanical and human balance data presented in this report, and a separate letter of warning from the FDA (Appendix C), fielding of the IsoBalance system to assess postural sway in the classification of mTBI is not recommended at this time.