[Neurological lower torso function test. A new assessment].

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Current assessments lack sensitivity for neurological patients with severe motor deficits.
• The Berg Balance Scale is a benchmark, but limitations exist for specific lower torso evaluations.
• Neurological lower torso function requires specialized, sensitive assessment tools for accurate diagnosis and rehabilitation tracking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate the neurological lower torso function test for assessing lower torso stability and function in neurological patients.
• To determine the reliability and responsiveness of the new test, particularly in early rehabilitation phases.
• To compare the new test's sensitivity against existing methods for severely affected patients.

Main Methods:

• The neurological lower torso function test was developed and validated.
• Sixty-six inpatient/partial inpatient neurological subjects aged 60+ participated.
• The test involved six tasks assessing lower extremity movement, hip musculature, and lower torso posture, using a 5-point scale similar to the Berg Balance Scale.

Main Results:

• The neurological lower torso function test demonstrated a high degree of reliability.
• The test proved to be highly responsive to changes in neurological patients.
• The assessment can be performed with minimal time and personnel resources.

Conclusions:

• The neurological lower torso function test is a reliable and responsive tool for evaluating lower torso function in neurological patients.
• This new assessment offers improved sensitivity for detecting functional changes, especially in early rehabilitation.
• The test is practical for clinical use due to its low resource requirements.