Short-term learning effects of practice during the performance of the tandem Romberg test

Abstract

The tandem Romberg test is possibly the most common static test of postural stability. This study aims to see if practice effects the performance of the tandem Romberg test. Twenty-four subjects were instructed to practice the tandem Romberg test daily for a period of 10 consecutive days, and were tested on five occasions using the sway magnetometry posturographic system. The test was performed with eyes open and eyes closed either on the floor or on foam. Their ability to perform the test for 60 s was used as a pass/fail criterion. With eyes closed, 65% of tandem Romberg tests were successful on hard surface, and 28% on foam. With eyes open, all subjects scored a 'pass'. On hard surface, the mean path length for the first and last day was 371.7 mm (SD 68.56) and 481 mm (SD 145.47) respectively. On foam, it was 506 mm (SD 139) and 530 mm (SD 212). For the 'fail' tandem Romberg tests, the 75th percentile for the time taken for subjects to perform the test on the first and last days were 18.5 and 9s on floor, and 18 and 37 s on foam respectively. Across all testing sessions and groups, no significant improvement in performance with practice was observed. The absence of improvement in subjects practising the tandem Romberg test indicates a lack of short-term learning effects. The failure rate, however, associated with eye closure, whether on foam or on hard surface, invalidates the use of the tandem Romberg test in assessing postural stability because of its performance variability.