Balance Testing for Lower Limb Injury Risk: A Review

Context: A dynamic postural-control task that has gained notoriety in the clinical and research settings is the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT). Researchers have suggested that, with appropriate instruction and practice by the individual and normalization of the reaching distances, the SEBT can be used to provide objective measures to differentiate deficits and improvements in dynamic postural-control related to lower extremity injury and induced fatigue, and it has the potential to predict lower extremity injury. However, no one has reviewed this body of literature to determine the usefulness of the SEBT in clinical applications.

Objective: To provide a narrative review of the SEBT and its implementation and the known contributions to task performance and to systematically review the associated literature to address the SEBT’s usefulness as a clinical tool for the quantification of dynamic postural-control deficits from lower extremity impairment.

"This study assessed the validity of the Star Excursion Balance Test- which is featured in the Formthotic physical assessment recommendations. The test, useful only in physically fit and/or active individuals, has been shown to be valid in terms of predicting risk for sport/exercise related injury. Limitations of this test include current injury, age or other disability." - Dr Bob Eckles

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