Aim: To investigate preseason modified Balance Error Scoring System (mBESS) performance in a collegiate football cohort; to compare scores to an objective mobile balance measurement tool.
Methods: Eighty-two athletes completed simultaneous balance testing using mBESS and the King–Devick Balance Test, an objective balance measurement tool. Errors on mBESS and objective measurements in the double-leg, single-leg (SS) and tandem stances were compared.
Results: Mean mBESS error score was 7.23 ± 4.65. The SS accounted for 74% of errors and 21% of athletes demonstrated the maximum error score. There was no significant correlation between mBESS score and the objective balance score.
Conclusion: The high variability and large number of errors in the SS raises concerns over the utility of the SS in identifying suspected concussion.
Summary Points:
- Compared the K-D Balance Test to the modified Balance Error Scoring System (mBESS) for 82 collegiate football players.
- The K-D Balance Test provides an objective, quantitative postural measurement, utilizing the accelerometers built into mobile devices.
- mBESS error scores were highly variable, especially in the single-leg stance (SS) for non-concussed, asymptomatic athletes.
- There was no significant correlation between subjective mBESS and the objective K-D Balance Test due to the ceiling effect of the mBESS maximum error score.
- Objective, quantitative balance measures may improve postural assessments in the setting of concussion.