Stroke Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Stroke, including details on treatment, recovery, rehabilitation, signs, symptoms.

Proposal and validation of a new functional ambulation classification scale for clinical use.

Viosca E, Martínez JL, Almagro PL, Gracia A, González C

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Hospital de Sagunt y C.E., Av. Ramón y Cajal s/n 46520, Puerto de Sagunto, Valencia, Spain. eviosca@ibv.upv.es

OBJECTIVE: To validate a new functional ambulation classification. DESIGN: Validity study. SETTING: In- and outpatients of a district hospital rehabilitation service. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-one patients with poststroke hemiplegic gait disorders compared with a control group of 5 healthy people. Interventions Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Three independent examiners assessed the functional ambulation levels of each patient in blind trials. Interrater reliability was analyzed among the examiners. Walking velocity (slow, normal, fast) was measured with a manual chronometer, and the number of steps taken over a 48-hour period was recorded with a step counter. The linear correlation was calculated from among functional level classification, walking velocity, and the number of steps taken. RESULTS: There was a good interrater reliability among the examiners (kappa=.74). A significant association and a linear correlation were found between functional ambulation level, walking velocity, and the number of steps taken. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed classification is reliable and valid for determining the different levels of walking abilities.

Published 14 June 2005 in Arch Phys Med Rehabil, 86(6): 1234-8.
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