BACKGROUND: Stroke often leads to upright standing and walking impairments. Clinical assessments do not sufficiently address ecological aspects and the patient's subjective evaluation of function. OBJECTIVE: To perform a pilot assessment of the psychometric properties of the Lower Limb-Function Assessment Scale (LL-FAS). METHODS:The LL-FAS includes 30 items assessing the patient's perception (in a questionnaire) and the examiner's perception (in a practical test) of upright standing and walking impairments and their impact on activities of daily living. We analyzed the LL-FAS's reliability, construct validity, internal consistency, predictive validity and feasibility. RESULTS: Thirty-five stroke patients were included. The scale's mean ± SD completion time was 25 ± 6 min. Intra-observer reliability was good to excellent (intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC >0.82). Interobserver reliability was moderate (0.67 < ICC < 0.9). The questionnaire and test items showed excellent construct validity for neuromotor disabilities (p < 0.05), postural ability (Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke; p < 10 −5 ), severity of gait disorders (Gait Assessment and Intervention Tool; p < 10 −3 ), walking ability (New Functional Ambulation Categories, 10 m walk test, Rivermead Mobility Index; p < 10 −3 ) and functional level (Barthel Index; p < 10 −3 ). Internal consistency (Cronbach-␣ >0.9) and predictive validity were excellent. CONCLUSIONS: The LL-FAS showed fair psychometric properties in this pilot study and may be of value for evaluating post-stroke lower limb impairment.

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Deep fibular nerve neurotomy for the EHL and/or EDL branches seems to be an effective treatment for extension dystonia of the hallux and/or other toes and its consequences for the adult neurological patient. However, these encouraging preliminary results should be confirmed by prospective, longer-term studies.