Abstract
Body balance disorders are related to different injuries that contribute to a wide range of healthcare issues. The social and financial costs of these conditions are high. Therefore, quick and reliable body balance assessment can contribute to the prevention of injuries, as well as enhancement of clinical rehabilitation. Moreover, the use of smartphone applications is increasing rapidly since they incorporate different hardware components that allow for body balance assessment. The present study aims to show an analysis of the current applications available on Google Play StoreTM and iTunes App StoreTM to measure this physical condition, using the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS). Three iOS and two Android applications met the inclusion criteria. Three applications have scientific support, Balance test YMED, Balance Test by Slani, and Sway. Furthermore, according to MARS, the main scores for each evaluated domain were: Engagement (2.04), Functionality (3.8), Esthetics (3.53), and Information (3.80). The reviewed applications targeted to assess body balance obtained good mean scores. Sway is the app with highest scores in each MARS domain, followed by iBalance Fitness and Gyrobalance.
References
Jan 1, 1994·Journal of the American Geriatrics Society·N B Alexander
Aug 17, 2000·Clinical Rehabilitation·A S PollockJ P Paul
Aug 5, 2004·Perceptual and Motor Skills·Christina D Davlin
Nov 4, 2010·The Journal of Trauma·Klaas A HartholtPeter Patka
Aug 28, 2012·Evidence-based Medicine·Arthur Willem Gerard BuijinkLouise Marshall
Aug 21, 2014·Journal of Physical Therapy Science·Sung-Hak ChoBong-Oh Goo
Sep 17, 2014·Journal of Medical Internet Research·Thomas Lorchan Lewis, Jeremy C Wyatt
Nov 2, 2014·Global Health Action·Charles S HallPeter Byass
Mar 12, 2015·JMIR MHealth and UHealth·Stoyan R StoyanovMadhavan Mani
Jun 10, 2015·Sensors·Oresti BanosClaudia Villalonga
Oct 9, 2015·Telemedicine Journal and E-health : the Official Journal of the American Telemedicine Association·Adam J BittelDaniel C Bittel
Mar 12, 2016·The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity·Marco BardusCharles Abraham
May 6, 2016·Journal of Medical Systems·Enrique Pérez MoreraJon Arambarri
Jun 16, 2016·JMIR MHealth and UHealth·Ruth M Masterson CreberSarah Iribarren
Sep 18, 2016·Annals of Intensive Care·Lieuwe D BosUNKNOWN MARS consortium
Nov 22, 2016·Disability and Rehabilitation·Angelica ReyesCary A Brown
Dec 4, 2016·JMIR MHealth and UHealth·Karla SantoJulie Redfern
Feb 23, 2017·JMIR MHealth and UHealth·Rebecca GraingerWilliam J Taylor
May 31, 2017·Journal of Medical Systems·Isabel de la Torre DíezCarlos Del Pozo Vegas
Aug 28, 2017·Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics·Kathleen L RoeingJacob J Sosnoff
Dec 23, 2017·Physiological Measurement·Nikita A KuznetsovChristopher K Rhea
Citations
Jul 24, 2020·Therapeutic Innovation & Regulatory Science·Aline Teotonio RodriguesTácio de Mendonça Lima
Oct 1, 2020·BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making·Daniel Adu-GyamfiAlbert Kofi Kwansah Ansah
Sep 25, 2019·Sensors·Marco GhislieriValentina Agostini
Sep 19, 2020·Gait & Posture·Nadia AbdoAliaa Rehan Youssef
May 1, 2021·Sensors·Rui SilvaFilipe Manuel Clemente
Jul 25, 2021·Sensors·Barry R GreeneBrian Caulfield