Normative reference values for Obstacles Test and Curb Test and their correlation with demographic characteristics: a cross-sectional study in Saudi children

The Obstacles Test and Curb Test have been used to measure gait speed and functional balance in adults. Recently, they have been modified for use in children but the normative values have not been established. This requires correlating the sex, age, height, weight, and BMI% of children with the test results and developing prediction equations. In this cross-sectional study, the Obstacles Test and Curb Test were administered to a convenience sample of 240 typically developing children aged 6–11 years. The factors associated with the time to complete each test were studied and prediction equations were established. The completion times were 5.27 ± 0.81 s for the Obstacles Test and 2.82 ± 0.45 s for the Curb Test. The Obstacles Test showed a fair negative relationship with height (Pearson’s r = −0.41, P < 0.001), age (r = −0.35, P < 0.001), and weight (r = −0.32, P < 0.05). The Curb Test also had fair negative correlations with height (r = −0.42, P < 0.001), age (r = −0.39, P < 0.001), and weight (r = −0.31, P < 0.001). Both tests showed poor correlations with the sex [eta (η) = 0.15 and 0.12, respectively]. Nonetheless, age and sex emerged as the main predictors of both test scores, accounting for 14% and 17% of the total variance in the Obstacles Test and Curb Test times, respectively. Normative values and prediction equations for both tests in typically developing children may be used for individual comparisons and in clinical research for the evaluation of interventions targeting disabled children.