Reliability of the control error during target tracking tasks in trunk region in sagittal transverse torque plane in asymptomatic subjects

Accurate control of movement is one of the multiple components in skillful motor performance that can be impaired by disease. Trackingtests quantify the effects oftreatments designed toimprovecontrol of movement and they are considered as anideal protocol forimproving motor control. The purpose of the present study was to examine reliability of the control error during target tracking tasks in trunk region in sagittal transverse torque plane in healthy subjects. Nine healthy subjects (4 females and 5 males) randomly performed target tracking tasks at levels of 0% to 80% Maximum Voluntary Exertions (MVE) and twelve different directions (0 ̊، 30 ̊، 60 ̊، …، 330 ̊) twice in upright standing posture. In this study، the tracking system included a moving target circle، which moved on a straight line in specific direction from 0 to 80% of individual MVE with speed of 6% MVE/S. The direction of isometric trunk exertion was presented to participants in the online visual feedback by a computer monitor positioned in front of them. Trunk controllability was determined by computing the control errors (Absolute Value Error from the Target [AVET]، Error from the Target Path [ETP] and Error from the Target in the Target Path [ETTP]) during each performance. Relative reliability (Intra-class Correlation Coefficient [ICC]) of the control error in each direction was determined. Also absolute reliability (Standard Error of Measurement [SEM]) and Minimal Detected Change (MDC95) were computed. The results have shown that ICC for AVET، ETP and ETTP ranged from 0. 81 to 0. 99، 0. 71 to 0. 98 and 0. 7 to 0. 99، respectively. Also SEM for these variables ranged between 0. 003- 0. 013، 0. 001- 0. 009 and 0. 003- 0. 011، respectively and finally MDC95 ranged between 0. 008 to 0. 036 for AVET، 0. 003 to 0. 025 for ETP and 0. 008 to 0. 03 for ETTP. The study showed high and very high reliability for control error measures during target tracking tasks in sagittal transverse torque plane in asymptomatic subjects. Therefore this performance may be used as a test in trunk controllability assessment.