Article

OBJECTIVES: To determine the reliability of linear and nonlinear tools, including
intrasession and intersession reliability, when used to analyze the center of
pressure (COP) time series during the development of infant sitting postural
control. DESIGN: Longitudinal study. SETTING: University hospital laboratory.
PARTICIPANTS: Typically developing infants (N=33; mean +/- SD age at entry in the
study, 152.4+/-17.6d). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
Infants were tested twice in 1 week at each of the 4 months of the study. Sitting
COP data were recorded for 3 trials at each session (2 each month within 1 week).
The linear COP parameters of root mean square and range of sway for both the
anterior-posterior and the medial-lateral directions, and the sway path, were
calculated. The nonlinear parameters of approximate entropy, Lyapunov exponent,
and correlation dimension for both directions were also calculated. Intrasession
and intersession reliability was quantified by the intraclass correlation
coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: The nonlinear tool of approximate entropy presented
high intrasession and intersession ICC values compared with all other parameters
evaluated. Generally, intrasession and intersession reliability increased in the
last 2 months of the data collection and as sitting posture matured. CONCLUSIONS:
Our results showed that the evaluation of COP data is a reliable method of
investigating the development of sitting postural control. The present study
emphasizes the need for establishing COP reliability before using it as a method
of examining intervention progress directed at improving the sitting postural
abilities in infants with motor developmental delays.

Langue : ANGLAIS