April Falls Month offer: free balance metrics for physiotherapists and others

During April Falls Month members of the physiotherapy, exercise physiology, healthy ageing and falls prevention community are invited to trial a Balance Metrix system for free.

If you sign up for a free trial of a Balance Metrix system – normally valued at $180 – during April Falls Month you will be able to measure the balance of your clients and confirm who has a heightened risk of falling during a simple 20-second test.

Results will be displayed in real time on the Balance Mat test results system as a moving graph and score and captured afterwards online or offline on your own desktop or laptop computer. Alternatively, results can be printed out and placed on your patients’ files for comparison over time.

Whichever way you choose to use the system, you can re-test patients’ balance after a suitable time has elapsed, depending on the health condition you are treating.

For example, you might prescribe exercise classes for a low back or knee condition, in which case measuring balance at the start and during the exercise program will be beneficial.

What is the Balance Mat?

A sensor in a smart floor mat uses fibre-optic cable and proprietary algorithms to sense and record the continuous postural adjustments (or postural sway) of a person standing on the mat: the higher the score the poorer the person’s balance. For more information about our innovative combined hardware – software system click here .

Tried and true technology

The Balance Mat has been validated by University of Canberra testing and has high correlations against other balance measurement systems like inertial sensors and force plates.

Who’s using it?

Hastings Medical Centre at Wauchope, NSW has been using the system for two years. The centre has been using our balance measurement system to understand and monitor the balance of patients undergoing exercise therapy.

Several teams of allied health and medical researchers have taken delivery of their Balance Metrix systems and are in various stages of research project implementation. They include:

• Dr Maryam Ghahramani from the University of Canberra and Associate Professor Alireza Ahmadvand from Griffith University and Silky Oaks Medical Practice in Brisbane;
• Dr Isaac Selva-Raj at Edith Cowan University and Associate Professor Zhen Zheng at RMIT University;
• Dr Cherylea Browne at the University of Western Sydney;
• Professor Ecosse Lamoureux from University of Melbourne and Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI); and
• Associate Professor James McLoughlin from Flinders University and Advanced Neuro Rehab with Liz Jemson-Ledger.

No guesswork

Thanks to this novel technology, for the first time there is actually a measure of balance ability, with results provided instantly in the form of a graph and score.

Ease of use and portability

The Balance Metrix smart mat measures 500mm x 500mm and is only 6mm thick, making it easy, safe and non-threatening for older people to stand on and lightweight enough for practitioners to move around. It compares favourably with other more expensive and cumbersome technologies that can take days or weeks for results to be known.

Why measure balance during April Falls Month?

Dr Ahmadvand and Dr Ewart – who have both been using a Multimetric Balance Mat in their medical practices – have found it to be a quick and easy technique that is superior to timed-up-and-go and other conventional balance testing systems. In fact, Dr Ahmadvand has called it “an innovative and brilliant device with many potentials.”

In my personal experience as the developer of the technology I believe it is so much better than the time-based testing that allied health practitioners currently do.

If you would like to test-drive one of our systems you are invited to take advantage of our April Falls Month free four-week trial. Simply click on the yellow image above and send us a message introducing yourself and describe how you propose to use the system to benefit your clients or contact Balance Metrix Business Manager Margaret Metz via our contact form, email margaret@balancemetrix.com.au or call mobile 0418 577 746. Too easy!

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