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Sitting balance: its relation to function in individuals with hemiparesis
D S Nichols1, L Miller, L A Colby
1Physical Therapy Division, School of Allied Medical Professions, Ohio State University, Columbus, USA.
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
|September 1, 1996
Summary
Sitting balance measures using the Balance System show good reliability for healthy individuals and stroke patients. While these measures can track changes, they are not strongly linked to overall functional independence.
Area of Science:
- Rehabilitation Science
- Neurology
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Assessing sitting balance is crucial for stroke rehabilitation.
- Objective measures are needed to track balance changes and functional recovery.
- The Balance System offers a potential tool for quantifying sitting balance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the test-retest reliability of sitting balance measures.
- To assess the ability of balance measures and the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) to detect changes over time.
- To compare the changes observed in balance measures with FIM scores.
Main Methods:
- Test-retest reliability was evaluated in six healthy subjects.
- Fourteen hemiparetic subjects were assessed bi-weekly during hospitalization.
- Sitting balance was measured using the Balance System, recording maximum displacement during leaning tasks. Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores were also collected.
Main Results:
- High test-retest reliability was found in healthy subjects; moderate to high reliability was observed in patients.
- Forward leaning and leaning to the paretic side showed the most correlations with FIM scores.
- Both FIM scales and the forward lean measure indicated patient progress during hospitalization.
Conclusions:
- The Balance System protocol for assessing sitting balance is suitable for patient populations.
- Maximal leaning ability (sideways, forward, or symmetrical posture) demonstrated a weak correlation with functional outcomes.