STAY IN STEP - Balancing on One Foot

A Gross Motor Screening Test for Children Aged 5 to 7 Years

Purpose:

To test postural stability while balancing on one foot with eyes open. This skill requires information from the eyes, the inner ear (vestibular receptors) and the muscles, tendons and joints (proprioceptors).

Equipment:

Stopwatch and firm level surface.

Task Description:

The child is first asked to "Stand on your favourite foot for as long as you can or until I tell you to stop". ('favourite' is used in order to determine the preferred leg. Mentioning the words 'right' or 'left' can result in a 'right' biased reply).

Starting Position:

Child should stand in a clear space away from furniture and walls. Hands are placed on hips and weight on the preferred foot ready for the instruction "ready, lift".

Demonstration:

• The tester demonstrates the one foot balance explaining that the non-support leg is held away from the balancing foot and
• the hands are placed on the hips before the leg is raised.

Practice phase:

No practice is given prior to the formal trials.

Formal trials:

TWO trials may be given for each leg. The second trial is given only if the child scores less than 40 seconds on the first trial.

Demonstration:

• Record the times for all balance attempts on the score sheet.
• If the child scores less than 40 seconds a second trial is given on the same foot.
• Timing is stopped if the non-support leg touches the floor, the child moves about (hops or slides) on the support leg, the non-support leg rests on the support leg, one or both hands are removed from the hip, or the child balances for 40 seconds.
• Total the best time for each foot - a maximum score would be 80 seconds.