A new balance assessment tool for quantifying balance impairment in patients with motor incomplete spinal cord injury: Pilot study

This study introduces a new tool, FRA510S, to quantitatively assess balance in patients with incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). It aims to provide objective measurements of balance impairment, which can be more precise than traditional manual assessments. The FRA510S measures body sway and center of pressure (CoP) using digital equipment, allowing for accurate evaluation of even minor balance disturbances. The equipment objectively identifies how much a person sways and how their center of pressure shifts. By comparing the FRA510S results with existing balance assessments, like the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test (FTSST), the study demonstrates its potential to provide comprehensive information about balance and gait rehabilitation for SCI patients.

• 1
  The FRA510S equipment provides quantitative values for balance function, offering a more objective way to assess balance compared to traditional methods.
• 2
  The FRA510S showed agreement with existing balance assessments like the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test (FTSST), particularly in specific testing conditions.
• 3
  The study found that somatosensory function, as indicated by SSEP results, plays a key role in postural control and balance recovery in patients with incomplete SCI.