Types of tests Equitest conditions|450px The test protocols usually include a Sensory Organization Test (SOT), Limits of Stability Test (LOS), a Motor Control Test (MCT) and an Adaptation Test (ADT). The SOT test was developed by Nashner and is a computerized system that is made up of dual movable force plates and movable visual screen (EquiTest). During the test the patient is instructed to stand still and quietly with eyes open or closed depending on which of the six tests is being administered. The patient performs multiple trials per test; a description of these tests can be found in the table below. The SOT test is based on the fact that there are three sensory systems mainly involved in maintaining balance (vision, vestibular, and proprioceptive). Minute spontaneous body sways are measured as well as reactions provoked by unexpected abrupt movements of the platform and the visual surroundings. Differences in these sways and reactions to system perturbations help to determine the patients ability to effectively use visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive input to maintain posture. Wrisley et al. (2007) found that there are learning effects associated with the SOT test and therefore it could be used clinically to assess, improve and track changes in balance. Condition Vision Surface Visual Surround 1 Eyes Open Stable Stable 2 Eyes Closed Stable Stable 3 Eyes Open Stable Sway-Referenced 4 Eyes Open Sway-Referenced Stable 5 Eyes Closed Sway-Referenced Stable 6 Eyes Open Sway-Referenced Sway-Referenced +ConditionPatterns of abnormality on SOT analysisVestibular abnormalitiesMultisensory abnormalities (vestibular and extravestibular pathology)Extrasensory abnormalities%DIFDELCMD < %DIFDELCMD < %%% (anxiety, simulation, exaggeration, etc.)1Scores in 4, 5 and 6 are equal or better than in 1, 2, 3.23456ConclusionsInability to make effective use of vestibular informationInability to suppress the influence of inaccurate visual information ("visual preference")Inability to make effective use of vestibular information AND to suppress the influence of inaccurate visual informationNo effective use of either visual or vestibular information (dependence on somatosensory input for balance)No effective use of either visual or vestibular information AND vision dependenceDependence on visual and somatosensory inputs Sensory Analysis - EquiTest SOT results are subdivided in an Equilibrium Score, a Sensory Analysis, a Strategy Analysis and COG Alignment. The sensory analysis calculates 4 different scores: somatosensory (SOM), visual (VIS), vestibular (VEST) and visual preference (PREF) (otherwise known as "visual dependence", an excessive reliance on visual information even when it is inappropriate). The scores are respectively calculated as ratios of the 6 different scores of the equilibrium score:
Types of tests Equitest conditions|450px The test protocols usually include a Sensory Organization Test (SOT), Limits of Stability Test (LOS), a Motor Control Test (MCT) and an Adaptation Test (ADT). The SOT test was developed by Nashner and is a computerized system that is made up of dual movable force plates and movable visual screen (EquiTest). During the test the patient is instructed to stand still and quietly with eyes open or closed depending on which of the six tests is being administered. The patient performs multiple trials per test; a description of these tests can be found in the table below. The SOT test is based on the fact that there are three sensory systems mainly involved in maintaining balance (vision, vestibular, and proprioceptive). Minute spontaneous body sways are measured as well as reactions provoked by unexpected abrupt movements of the platform and the visual surroundings. Differences in these sways and reactions to system perturbations help to determine the patients ability to effectively use visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive input to maintain posture. Wrisley et al. (2007) found that there are learning effects associated with the SOT test and therefore it could be used clinically to assess, improve and track changes in balance. Condition Vision Surface Visual Surround 1 Eyes Open Stable Stable 2 Eyes Closed Stable Stable 3 Eyes Open Stable Sway-Referenced 4 Eyes Open Sway-Referenced Stable 5 Eyes Closed Sway-Referenced Stable 6 Eyes Open Sway-Referenced Sway-Referenced +ConditionPatterns of abnormality on SOT analysisVestibular abnormalitiesMultisensory %DIFDELCMD < %DIFDELCMD < %%% abnormalitiesaExtrasensory abnormalitiesb1Scores in 4, 5 and 6 are equal or better than in 1, 2, 3.23456ConclusionsInability to make effective use of vestibular informationInability to suppress the influence of inaccurate visual information ("visual preference")Inability to make effective use of vestibular information AND to suppress the influence of inaccurate visual informationNo effective use of either visual or vestibular information (dependence on somatosensory input for balance)No effective use of either visual or vestibular information AND vision dependenceDependence on visual and somatosensory inputsa Vestibular and extravestibular pathology b Anxiety, simulation, exaggeration, etc. Sensory Analysis - EquiTest SOT results are subdivided in an Equilibrium Score, a Sensory Analysis, a Strategy Analysis and COG Alignment. The sensory analysis calculates 4 different scores: somatosensory (SOM), visual (VIS), vestibular (VEST) and visual preference (PREF) (otherwise known as "visual dependence", an excessive reliance on visual information even when it is inappropriate). The scores are respectively calculated as ratios of the 6 different scores of the equilibrium score:
D
abnormalities
D
(vestibular and extravestibular pathology)Extrasensory abnormalities
R
(anxiety, simulation, exaggeration, etc.)1Scores
abnormalitiesaExtrasensory abnormalitiesb1Scores
R
inputs
inputsa Vestibular and extravestibular pathology b Anxiety, simulation, exaggeration, etc.