STROKE REHABILITATION: METHODS TO ASSESS BALANCE

Course overview

Patients who score poorly on balance tests tend to have longer acute hospital stays, are more likely to go to an extended care or rehabilitation facility upon discharge instead of home, and are more likely to fall. There are multiple methods for assessing balance following a stroke, including the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients (PASS), the Postural Control and Balance for Stroke (PCBS) test, the Functional Reach Test (FRT), the Timed Up & Go Test, the Romberg test, the Sensory Integration Test/Foam and Dome Test, the 10 m-walk test, the Step Test, and the Trunk Control Test (TCT). This continuing education module is designed to give the reader/learner an increased understanding of evidence-based information on methods to assess balance following a stroke, including patient outcomes, benefits and drawbacks of existing assessment methods, and strategies to reduce fall risk, and to aid in caring for the patient with this diagnosis. Readers may explore any or all of the topics. One contact hour of continuing education credit is available for those who successfully complete the post-test and evaluation form.