Based on the linked source; automatically prepared and checked against the original report.
Assessment Design
Researchers evaluated a wheelie-based balance task among 25 collegiate para sport athletes, including 14 men. Participants completed single-task and dual-task assessments in eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions. A single clinician scored standardized biomechanical errors, including front wheels touching the ground and changes in hand grip. Follow-up assessments occurred approximately one week and 45 days after baseline.
Baseline Findings
At baseline, adding a dual task did not produce a statistically significant difference during eyes-open wheelie balancing. The eyes-closed condition likewise showed no significant single-task versus dual-task difference at baseline. However, participants recorded significantly more errors in the eyes-closed condition during both the one-week and 45-day retests, according to the study summary.
Reliability And Interpretation
Correlations across assessments were fair to moderate for eyes-open and eyes-closed positions under both task conditions, with reported coefficients of at least 0.49 at one week and 0.40 at 45 days. The authors concluded that dual-task exercise during eyes-closed wheelie balancing may increase difficulty and could be useful for assessing balance in para-athletes. They called for further research on post-injury dual-task compensation.
