Scandinavian Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine 

About: Scandinavian Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine is an academic journal. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Rehabilitation & Isometric exercise. It has an ISSN identifier of 0036-5505. Over the lifetime, 894 publications have been published receiving 47779 citations.

The post-stroke hemiplegic patient. 1. a method for evaluation of physical performance.

Abstract: A system for evaluation of motor function, balance, some sensation qualities and joint function in hemiplegic patients is described in detail. The system applies a cumulative numerical score. A series of hemiplegic patients has been followed from within one week post-stroke and throughout one year. When initially nearly flaccid hemiparalysis prevails, the motor recovery, if any occur, follows a definable course. The findings in this study substantiate the validity of ontogenetic principles as applicable to the assessment of motor behaviour in hemiplegic patients, and foocus the importance of early therapeutic measures against contractures.

The Balance Scale: reliability assessment with elderly residents and patients with an acute stroke.

Abstract: The objective of this study was to assess the reliability of the Balance Scale. Subjects were chosen from a larger group of 113 elderly residents and 70 stroke patients participating in a psychometric study. Elderly residents were examined at baseline, and at 3, 6 and 9 months, and the stroke patients were evaluated at 2, 4, 6 and 12 weeks post onset. The Cronbach's alphas at each evaluation were greater than 0.83 and 0.97 for the elderly residents and stroke patients respectively, showing strong internal consistency. To assess inter-rater reliability, therapists treating 35 stroke patients were asked to administer the Balance Scale within 24 hours of the independent evaluator. Similarly, caregivers at the Residence were asked to test the elderly residents within one week of the independent evaluator. To assess intra-rater reliability, 18 residents and 6 stroke patients were assessed one week apart by the same rater. The agreement between raters was excellent (ICC = 0.98) as was the consistency within the same rater at two points in time (ICC = 0.97). The results support the use of the Balance Scale in these groups.

Interrater reliability of the 7-level functional independence measure (FIM)

Abstract: The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) is an 18-item, 7-level scale developed to uniformly assess severity of patient disability and medical rehabilitation functional outcome. FIM interrater reliability in the clinical setting is reported here. Clinicians from 89 US inpatient comprehensive medical rehabilitation facilities newly subscribing to the uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation from January 1988-June 1990 evaluated 1018 patients with the FIM. FIM total, domain and subscale score intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated using ANOVA; FIM item score agreement was assessed with unweighted Kappa coefficient. Total FIM ICC was 0.96; motor domain 0.96 and cognitive domain 0.91; subscale score range: 0.89 (social cognition) to 0.94 (self-care). FIM item Kappa range: 0.53 (memory) to 0.66 (stair climbing). A subset of 24 facilities meeting UDSMR data aggregation reliability criteria had Intraclass and Kappa coefficients exceeding those for all facilities. It is concluded that the 7-level FIM is reliable when used by trained/tested inpatient medical rehabilitation clinicians.

Walking after stroke. Measurement and recovery over the first 3 months.

Abstract: Sixty surviving patients had their walking ability and speed assessed regularly over the first 3 months after an acute stroke. Sixty-four matched controls were studied to allow categorisation of speed as 'slow' or 'normal'. Fourteen patients never had any significant loss of walking speed; fifteen patients never recovered the ability to walk and one patient remained dependent upon verbal support. Of the 30 showing significant recovery, only 10 regained normal speed, and 8 remained dependent upon a physical aid at 3 months. Plotting individual recovery curves of walking speed over time showed the wide range of change which may be expected. It is argued that timing of gait over 10 metres is a valid reliable measure that is currently underused.