Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) for Arabic-Speaking Patients

BackgroundThe original English Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) is widely adopted to track changes in foot and ankle function. The aim of this study is to translate it to an Arabic version of FAAM (FAAM-A), and then to assess the validity and reliability of the FAAM-A version.MethodologyOne hundred five consecutive Arabic-speaking participants with different foot and ankle pathologies completed the FAAM-A. Fifty-six males and 49 females with a mean age of 39.8 years; 78.1% respondents have completed high school or higher. Convergent and divergent validities were assessed using correlation coefficients between the FAAM-A subscales and the short form-36 (SF-36), physical function (PF), physical component summary (PCS), mental health (MH), and mental component summary (MCS). Cronbach's alpha was calculated to assess internal consistency. A subgroup of 20 participants filled the FAAM-A twice to test for test-retest reliability, using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and minimal detectable changes (MDCs).ResultsThe average FAAM-A was 55.32 and 43.23 for the activity of daily life (ADL) and Sports subscales, respectively. FAAM-A ADL subscale had a moderate correlation with the PF, 0.565; PCS, 0.546; and MCS, 0.447; and a low correlation with MH, 0.34. The sports subscale had a moderate correlation with the PF (0.529), PCS (0.513), and a low correlation with MCS (0. 395) and MH (0. 297). Cronbach's alpha was 0.97 and 0.95 for ADL and sports subscales, respectively. Intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.99 for both subscales. Minimal detectable change at a 95% confidence level was 6.81 and 8.19 for the ADL and sports subscales, respectively.ConclusionThe FAAM-A is proven to be valid and reliable instrument for assessing foot and ankle disability. It is an effective tool for clinical assessment and research within Arabic-speaking populations.Level of Evidence:Level II, Prospective cohort study.