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Published on: September 17, 2013
The Spinal Cord Injury Functional Ambulation Inventory (SCI-FAI)
E C Field-Fote1, G G Fluet, S D Schafer
1University of Miami School of Medicine, Division of Physical Therapy, Florida 33146, USA. edee@miami.edu
Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine
|August 17, 2001
Summary
The Spinal Cord Injury Functional Ambulation Inventory (SCI-FAI) reliably measures walking ability in individuals with spinal cord injury. This observational tool is valid and sensitive, whether used live or with video recordings.
Area of Science:
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Neurology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Gait assessment is crucial for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).
- Existing observational tools may lack comprehensive validation for SCI populations.
- Developing reliable and valid instruments is essential for tracking functional recovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate the Spinal Cord Injury Functional Ambulation Inventory (SCI-FAI).
- To assess the reliability, validity, and sensitivity of the SCI-FAI for measuring gait in SCI.
- To determine if live or videotaped assessments yield comparable results.
Main Methods:
- The SCI-FAI was developed and tested on 22 subjects with incomplete SCI.
- Four raters scored subjects live and from videotapes across multiple sessions.
- Inter-rater and intra-rater reliability were calculated using Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC).
- Validity was assessed by correlating SCI-FAI scores with walking time.
- Sensitivity was evaluated by comparing gait score changes with lower extremity strength changes in 19 SCI subjects before and after a walking program.
Main Results:
- A moderate-good negative correlation was found between SCI-FAI gait scores and walking time (r = -0.742 to -0.700).
- Inter-rater reliability was moderate-good (ICC = 0.703–0.840), and intra-rater reliability was good (ICC = 0.850–0.960).
- A moderate correlation was observed between changes in SCI-FAI scores and changes in lower extremity strength (r = 0.58).
Conclusions:
- The SCI-FAI is a reliable, valid, and sensitive instrument for assessing walking ability in individuals with SCI.
- Gait analysis using the SCI-FAI demonstrates comparable reliability whether performed live or from videotaped records.
- The SCI-FAI can be a valuable tool in SCI rehabilitation for monitoring functional ambulation.
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