The Functional Balance Ability Measure: A Measure of Balance Across the Spectrum of Functional Mobility in Persons Post-Stroke.
Jasmine J Cash, Craig A Velozo, Mark G Bowden and 1 others
PMID 38163035WHAT IT FOUND
Combining Berg and Functional Gait items into one 100-point score appeared to measure a single balance ability from sitting to walking in 93 ambulatory people post-stroke.
It separated them into distinct balance levels, but only community-dwelling adults were studied.
Key findings
01The combined Berg and Functional Gait items appeared to reflect one balance ability across the functional mobility spectrum.
02The combined score can be converted to a 100-point scale using FBAM measure = (BBS score + FGA score) * 0.76 + 16.55; for example, BBS 35 and FGA 9 equals 50.
03The measure separated people into 4.44 distinct strata, or balance levels, and showed no ceiling or floor effect.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The sample was 93 people with stroke more than 6 months earlier, all community dwelling and ambulatory, so it may not apply to patients who are older, non-ambulatory, or more functionally limited. Data were retrospective and came from people who had consented to previous studies, which can introduce selection bias. Berg and Functional Gait scores were sometimes collected from different studies, not always in the same assessment, so change between tests could influence the combined score. The conversion from Berg and Functional Gait scores to the 100-point scale has error, especially at the extreme ends of the scale. One Berg item, 'stand on one foot', did not fit the measurement model, but it was kept because removing it did not change person measures.
Declared interests
No conflict-of-interest declaration is provided. The data came from research trials sponsored by the NIH Center of Biomedical Research Excellence in Stroke Recovery (COBRE).
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this combined score is ready for routine use with every stroke patient. It was analysed in 93 ambulatory, community-dwelling people with chronic stroke, and the authors recommend further testing before implementation.