Psychometric Properties of Functional Reach Tests among Children: A Systematic Review

Introduction: Reach tests are commonly used outcome measures to assess balance among various populations. The psychometric properties of these outcome measures help in selecting the most effective tests to enhance the credibility of interventions. Aim: To determine the psychometric properties of reach tests among children aged 5 to 17 years. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted across databases such as PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane from inception to November 2023. Crosssectional studies involving children that assessed at least one psychometric property of a reach test and were written in English were included. An adapted version of the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria were used for quality assessment of the psychometric properties. Results: A total of 944 articles were screened, of which 17 studies were included. Eleven studies recruited typically developing children, while six studies used Functional Reach Test (FRT) and its modifications as the primary outcome measure. Another six studies focused on the Sit-and-Reach Test (SRT) and its modifications. The Paediatric Reach Test (PRT) was also utilised in some studies. Conclusion: The FRT demonstrated excellent methodological quality. Other outcome measures showed limitations in their psychometric properties. Therefore, there is a need to refine reach tests in multiple ways to achieve excellent psychometrics that could be beneficial for children aged 5 to 17 years.