Described as an alternative way of assessing weight-bearing asymmetries, the measures obtained from digital scales have been used as an index to classify weight-bearing distribution. This study aimed to describe the intra-test and the test/retest reliability of measures in subjects with and without hemiparesis during quiet stance. The percentage of body weight borne by one limb was calculated for a sample of subjects with hemiparesis and for a control group that was matched by gender and age. A two-way analysis of variance was used to verify the intra-test reliability. This analysis was calculated using the differences between the averages of the measures obtained during single, double or triple trials. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was utilized and data plotted using the Bland-Altman method. The intra-test analysis showed significant differences, only observed in the hemiparesis group, between the measures obtained by single and triple trials. Excellent and moderate ICC values (0.69-0.84) between test and retest were observed in the hemiparesis group, while for control groups ICC values (0.41-0.74) were classified as moderate, progressing from almost poor for measures obtained by a single trial to almost excellent for those obtained by triple trials. In conclusion, good reliability ranging from moderate to excellent classifications was found for participants with and without hemiparesis. Moreover, an improvement of the repeatability was observed with fewer trials for participants with hemiparesis, and with more trials for participants without hemiparesis.

Objetivo: Dimensionar o reconhecimento de vocábulos por estudantes de fisioterapia durante leitura da Classificação Internacional de Funcionalidade, Incapacidade e Saúde (CIF) e propor estratégias de enriquecimento lexical a partir dos vocábulos desconhecidos apreendidos com o intuito de treinar habilidades e competências descritivas de estados de saúde individuais e populacionais. Método: O conteúdo da CIF foi fragmentado em 9 trechos consecutivos de aproximadamente 30 páginas cada. Para cada trecho, um grupo de estudantes foi formado para a leitura e declaração de vocábulos desconhecidos. Os estudantes tinham a escolha de sugerir um significado para o vocábulo desconhecido caso desejassem. Posteriormente, os vocábulos e os seus significados sugeridos, quando anotados, foram analisados por dois julgadores cegos que verificaram o significado descrito pelo estudante com o significado real. Discordâncias foram decididas por um terceiro julgador. Resultados: A amostra foi composta por 37 estudantes com 19,8±1,5 (média ± DP) anos de idade que declararam 167 vocábulos como desconhecidos. Os vocábulos foram desconhecidos por no máximo 16 e no mínimo 1 estudantes. Dos estudantes que declararam vocábulos desconhecidos, 30% arriscaram colocar um possível significado, porém somente 18% deles aproximaram o significado anotado do significado real. Os trechos 3, 4 e 9 foram os trechos com maior número de vocábulos desconhecidos. Conclusões: Conclui-se que a CIF possui quase duas centenas de vocábulos desconhecidos por estudantes de fisioterapia e estes estão concentrados no interior e final do documento. Sugere-se um glossário contendo os 167 vocábulos para enriquecimento lexical de futuros leitores.

OBJECTIVE: (a) To compare the Body Mass Index between hemiparetic (disabled-bodied) patients vs. matched able-bodied controls, establishing relationships between Body Mass Index and the anthropometric variables (weight and height) used to calculate it; (b) to determine whether the Body Mass Index could be used as a disability indicator. METHODS: Twenty hemiparetic patients were matched by gender and age to twenty control subjects. All of them were included in procedures to measure the anthropometric parameters used to calculate Body Mass Index. The data were submitted to statistical procedures. RESULTS: The hemiparetic group did not present significant difference in the Body Mass Index when compared with controls, despite the fact that controls were 5.5 cm taller. From the variables used to calculate Body Mass Index, only weight presented a significant correlation to the index for both groups. CONCLUSION: Significant differences in the Body Mass Index were not observed between groups. Moreover, for both groups, the index was only associated with body mass. Our results show that Body Mass Index is not a good parameter to establish relationships with disability indicators for disable-bodied patients.