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IJPR.2017.112

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Type of Article:  Review

Volume 6; Issue 2 (April 2018)

Page No.: 2682-2688

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.16965/ijpr.2017.112

UNDERSTANDING APPROACHES TO BALANCE ASSESSMENT IN PHYSICAL THERAPY PRACTICE WITH VARIOUS AVAILABLE AND VALID SCALES: A REVIEW

Shubha Akadas *1, Pramod Kshirasagar 2, Ganukumar Wadhokar 3.

*1 MPT Student, Sdm College of Physiotherapy, Sattur, Dharwad – 580009, Karnataka, India.

2 Professor, Sdm College of Physiotherapy, Sattur, Dharwad – 580009, Karnataka, India.

3 Lecturer, Sdm College of Physiotherapy, Sattur, Dharwad – 580009, Karnataka, India.

Address for Correspondence: Dr. Shubha Akadas, (MPT Student), SDM College Of Physiotherapy, Sattur. Dharwad – 580009, Karnataka, India.

E-Mail: shubhaakadas@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Background: For allied health professionals, especially physiotherapists wishing to assess the functional balance of individuals living in the community, the vast number of functional balance tests available makes it difficult to decide which assessment is most appropriate for each target population.

Objective: To identify their reliability, concurrent validity and clinical implications of functional balance tests for paediatric, adult and geriatric age group focusing mainly on post surgery or post operative individuals.

Methods: A systematic review of published literature relevant to 10 functional balance tests was undertaken. The 10 functional balance tests were identified by a preliminary literature search and through consultation with an expert in the field of functional balance assessment. Among all the scales, the Berg Balance Scale and the Timed Up and Go Test have been most rigorously tested, in acute care set up the Morse Fall Scale was most reliable and in the paediatric age group the valid and most tested scale was WeeFIM. Conclusion: The Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up and Go Test and Morse Fall scale for inpatient or hospitalised individuals have published reliability and validity. Further testing of other functional balance tests is required to establish their reliability and validity in the target population of post operative individuals.

Key words: Balance, Berg Balance Scale, Balance assessment, Morse Fall Scale, Timed Up And Go Test, WeeFIM, John Hopkins Fall Risk Assessment Tool.

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Cite this article: Shubha Akadas, Pramod Kshirasagar, Ganukumar Wadhokar. UNDERSTANDING APPROACHES TO BALANCE ASSESSMENT IN PHYSICAL THERAPY PRACTICE WITH VARIOUS AVAILABLE AND VALID SCALES: A REVIEW. Int J Physiother Res 2018;6(2):2682-2688. DOI: 10.16965/ijpr.2017.112
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