Preliminary analysis of reliability and validity of the Life Space Questionnaire as a real-world mobility measure for people with lower limb loss: A technical note.
Gregory A Youdan, Stanford T Chihuri, Christopher K Wong
PMID 36215058WHAT IT FOUND
For people with lower limb loss, the Life Space Questionnaire showed moderate stability over one month.
It did not track balance or walking speed, but it strongly reflected overall health status. It measures community access as distinct from physical ability.
Key findings
01The Life Space Questionnaire showed moderate test-retest reliability over a one-month period.
02Life Space scores did not correlate significantly with objective or subjective measures of balance and walking.
03Life Space scores were strongly associated with health status, where lower mobility scores corresponded to higher comorbidity.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Very small sample size (n=9) with two dropouts, making the findings preliminary and statistically fragile. The study only included people who could already walk more than 3 meters independently, so it does not apply to those with more severe mobility impairments. The LSQ showed only moderate reliability over one month, which is lower than the stability seen in older adult populations over longer periods.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the lack of correlation between LSQ and walking measures as proof that physical therapy cannot improve community access. The small sample size and moderate reliability of the tool mean these findings are preliminary and cannot rule out a relationship between physical function and life space.