Reliability of test procedures for postural reactions in people with acute stroke

Background/Aims: Regaining and maintaining balance requires postural reactions such as righting reactions, equilibrium reactions, and protective reactions. There is a lack of uniform, standardised, and reliable testing procedures for postural reactions. The aim of the present study was to examine the intra- and interrater reliability of a newly developed postural reactions assessment for use in people with acute stroke. Methods: The Postural Reactions Test was developed based on the literature, on previous tests, and on input from an expert panel. A total of 10 physiotherapists assessed a total of 20 video recordings of people with acute stroke performing each postural reaction. These assessments were carried out on two occasions at least 2 weeks apart. The study thus included 400 ratings. Findings: For intrarater reliability, the overall proportion of agreement was 86 − 93% for the different postural reactions. For interrater reliability, the most common score for each participant and the number of physi...