The influence of the design of the assessment method on the attributes of reactive backwards stepping in young adults

Objective Reactive backwards stepping occurs to prevent a backwards fall when a person’s centre of mass is shifted posteriorly by an unexpected external force. Methods such as the Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest) and platform translations are used to assess the ability to perform backwards stepping. However, the response may vary based on the perturbations administered during testing, which could reflect the individual’s optimal response capability. This study aims to analyse the characteristics of backwards reactive stepping in both the BESTest and moving platform methods. Methods In this observational study, 60 healthy young adults were tested for backwards stepping using the BESTest and a moving platform. Three trials were video-recorded and analysed. The first step length, first step time, balance recovery length and balance recovery time were measured and compared between the BESTest and moving platform methods. Mann–Whitney U was used to test the differences at a significance level of <i>p</i> < 0.05. Results The results showed that the values for first step length, balance recovery length and balance recovery time were smaller for the moving platform perturbation compared to the BESTest (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Conversely, no difference was observed in first step time between the two methods. Conclusions The design of the evaluation method influenced the characteristics of stepping. The moving platform elicited a more proficient backwards stepping reaction compared to the BESTest.