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A quantitative assessment of stability (body balance, equilibrium) and sensory support of the upright position, with identification of the "contributions" from various sensory systems, is the basis for the force plate tests similar to the Romberg's test. The purpose of this paper is to describe the Romberg's test evolution from its introduction to objective quantitative force plate tests (stabilometry) in the context of studies into the sensory support of the upright position in humans. The use of force plates for quantitative characterization of the body balance in the upright position with changing sensory conditions has added a higher sensitivity and accuracy to this assessment, providing for a more precise differentiation of various conditions. The tests originating from the Romberg's one but performed on a force plate can be considered as a quantitative investigation into the functioning of the sensory systems participating in the support of the upright position, as well as a tool for the assessment of their isolated contributions and central integration. The value of such tests for clinical medicine is related to a higher level of verification of the body balance abnormalities in various disorders, with an improvement of diagnosis and potential for differential diagnosis. With these assessments being non-invasive, it is feasible to use them for evaluation of changes of the upright equilibrium over time under treatment and rehabilitation procedures in neurology, traumatology and orthopedics, otolaryngology, sports medicine and other areas.

This study aimed to compare the diagnostic efficacy of the Halmágyi–Curthoys head impulse (thrust) test and Romberg’s test in detecting vestibular hypofunctioning among two groups of 50 vertigo patients each; the two groups were randomly assigned. The assessment utilized the visual analog scale (VAS) to quantify subjective experiences of vertigo. The results revealed distinctive patterns in the detection of vestibular hypofunctioning, highlighting the strengths and limitations of each test. The Halmágyi–Curthoys head impulse test demonstrated utility in identifying vestibular hypofunctioning and its effect on vestibulo–ocular reflexes, particularly in cases with sudden head movements. Romberg’s test was useful in assessing postural instability in vestibular hypofunctioning due to defects in vestibulospinal reflexes. The integration of VAS scores provided valuable subjective insights into the patient experience. This comparative analysis contributes to a nuanced understanding of diagnostic tools for vestibular hypofunctioning in vertigo patients, offering clinicians valuable information for tailored assessments and interventions.

Background: Even though inertial measurement units (IMU) are already being used experimentally for evaluating movements of segment of the axial skeleton, no studies have been found which have used IMUs to measure the behavior of the segments of upper limbs during quiet stance. Objective: The objective is to design a suitable application of IMUs to measure movements of the upper extremities in Romberg's test and analyze spontaneous arm movements. Second aim is to identify possible discrepancies between the dominant and non-dominant arm movements. Methods: The dominant and non-dominant upper limb of each participant was identified. Then, the movements of both upper limbs were measured by the Xsens system equipped with MTx motion trackers during the quiet stance on a firm surface with eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC). The measured data was used to calculate the medians and maximums of the superior-inferior, medio-lateral and anterior-posterior acceleration. Also, tremor intensity was calculated to quantitatively evaluate the measured data. Results: The comparison of values of maximal accelerations of the dominant and non-dominant arms showed significant difference between the arms during EC conditions. The comparison of values of median accelerations of the dominant and non-dominant arms showed significant differences between the acceleration of arms in medio-lateral direction during EO and EC conditions. In all cases, values of maximal and median accelerations and values of tremor intensity of the dominant limb strongly correlated with values on the non-dominant limb. Conclusions: Findings suggest possible usefulness of the designed application of IMUs and evaluation methods for their use in Romberg's test in clinical practice for evaluation of upper limb movements.