A Study to Find out Con-Current Validity and Reliability of Mini-Balance Evaluation System Test for Assessment of Dynamic Balance in Post Stroke Patients – An Observational Study

Background: Stroke or brain attack is a sudden loss of neurological function caused by an interruption of the blood flow to the brain. Balance control is a fundamental motor behaviour in stance phase of gait that allows an individual to maintain and adopt various postures, react to external perturbances, and use automatic postural responses that precede voluntary movements. So purpose this study was designed to find out reliability and concurrent validity of Mini-BESTest for assessment of dynamic balance in post stroke patients. Objective: To find out concurrent validity and reliability of Mini-BESTest for assessment of dynamic balance in post stroke patients. Methodology: An observational study consisted of 32 post stroke patients, both male and female with age group between 30-65 years. Written consent was taken who fulfilled the selection criteria and were willing to participate in the study. After explaining whole procedure, the patients were assessed using Mini-BESTest by two rater for inter-rater reliability and by same rater at different time (24 hours of duration) for test intra-rater reliability. The patients were also assessed by Berg Balance Scale (BBS) to find out concurrent validity of Mini-BESTest. Results: Results was analysed by using SPSS 20 version for windows software. Intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of Mini-Balance Evaluation System Test were assessed by Spearman's correlation coefficient (rs). Mini-Balance Evaluation System Test and Berg Balance Scale were assessed by Spearman's correlation coefficient. Spearman correlationcoefficient (rs) for intra rater reliability is .862 with p < 0.05 and for inter rater reliability rs = .774 with p < 0.05. Spearman correlation coefficient (rs) between Mini-BESTest and BBS is 0.537 with p < 0.05 respectively. Conclusion: As a clinical test, Mini-BESTest is reliable and valid tool to use in post stroke patients for assessment of dynamic balance, easy to score, quick to administer (5-10 min), requires little space. Also rehabilitation can be planned according to component of score.