Quantitative Romberg test using a force plate objectively measures cervical myelopathy

A cohort of healthy volunteers was recruited from the clinic and asked to complete the Quantitative Romberg test. Healthy volunteers were excluded if they had a previous history of balance or neurological abnormality, previous spine injury, or lower extremity pathology.

The results of the study were -

• Thirty-four CSM patients were age-matched to 34 healthy volunteers.

• There was a larger change in quantitative Romberg measurements with eyes open versus eyes closed in CSM patients compared to normal volunteers for

 maximum lateral movement (10.79 cm vs. 0.94 cm, p=.003),

 maximum anterior-posterior movement (15.06 cm vs. 10.00 cm p=.201), total lateral CoP movement (89.82cm vs. 18.71cm, p=.007),

 total AP CoP movement (154.68 cm vs. 87.47 cm, p=.601),

 total CoP trace movement (199.79 cm vs. 88.44 cm, p=.014),

 sway area (284.74 cm2 vs. 57.76 cm2 , p=.006), and

 average speed (7.00 cm/s vs. 2.91 cm/s, p=.006).

The authors commented that - Further studies are needed to determine its utility in monitoring disease progression and measure treatment effectiveness.

Further reading:

Quantitative Romberg using a force plate: an objective measure for cervical myelopathy

Tino Mkorombindo,Steven D. Glassman, Jeffrey L. Gum, Morgan E. Brown, Christy L. Daniels, Leah Y. Carreon.

The Spine Journal 22 (2022) 535−541

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spinee.2021.10.001