Berg Balance Scale is a Valid Measure for Plan Interventions and for Assessing Changes in Postural Balance in Patients with Stroke

Abstract

Objectives: After confirming the measurement properties of the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) in patients with stroke by conducting a Rasch analysis, this study sought: (i) to generate a keyform as a tool for goal-setting and intervention-planning; and (ii) to determine the appropriate strata for separating patients’ postural balance ability. Design: Methodological analyses of cross-sectional study data.Patients: A pooled sample of 156 patients with stroke: mean (standard deviation) age 74.4 (12.9) years.Methods: This study evaluated the BBS’s rating scale structure, unidimensionality, and measurement accuracy (0: unable to perform or requiring help, to 4: normal performance) and then generated a keyform and strata.Results: The BBS rating scale fulfilled the category functioning criteria. Principal component analysis of standardized residuals confirmed the unidimensionality of the test. All items fit the Rasch analysis. Person ability-item difficulty matching was good. Person reliability was 0.96, and the patients were divided into 9 strata. The keyform for the BBS will enable clinicians and investigators to estimate patients’ postural balance ability and monitor their progress.Conclusion: The BBS has strong measurement properties. This study generated both a keyform that can contribute to clinicians’ decision-making in goalsetting and intervention-planning and strata that can facilitate understanding of patients’ abilities. LAY ABSTRACTPeople who have had a stroke often have difficulty maintaining postural balance and controlling their posture. The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) measures a person’s ability to maintain postural balance. Several analyses were performed to investigate the measurement properties of the BBS in patients who have had a stroke. Then, a keyform tool was generated and some strata (levels) determined that separate patients according to postural balance ability. A keyform can help therapists to identify items that a patient finds relatively difficult. Use of a keyform can contribute to both rehabilitation goal-setting and planned interventions for patients. The strata can be used to detect and measure changes in a patient’s postural balance ability. The findings of this study demonstrate that the BBS has strong measurement properties and provides an appropriate keyform and 9 strata. Use of these tools can facilitate the rehabilitation of patients with stroke through quantification of a patient’s postural balance ability.

Effect of resistance training through in-person and teleconferencing sessions in rehabilitation of acute stroke patients

“…The test records the time needed to rise from a chair, walk 10 feet (3 m), turn and sit on the chair again ( 26 , 27 ). Berg Balance Scale (BBS): BBS is a widely used functional test to assess a person’s balance, based on execution of 14 predetermined simple tasks ( 28 , 29 ). Chair Stand Test (CST): CST is a functional test to determine a person’s leg strength and endurance.…”

“…Berg Balance Scale (BBS): BBS is a widely used functional test to assess a person’s balance, based on execution of 14 predetermined simple tasks ( 28 , 29 ).…”

Methods of examination in physical therapy, and occupational therapy of people after stroke (clinical case)

“…The Berg Balance Test (BBS), is an examination designed for older adults, but acceptable for patients after a stroke (Miyata et al, 2022;Louie and Eng, 2018;Liao et al, 2021). The indicator is performance-based and consists of 14 items, with a maximum score of 56 points.…”

The Functional Balance Ability Measure: A Measure of Balance Across the Spectrum of Functional Mobility in Persons Post-Stroke

“…However, the FGA does not include sitting and standing tasks. Both measures fit RM Theory models, 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 which use probability to examine a measurement tool's ability to quantify abstract constructs. The Andrich Rating Scale model (RSM), an extension of the Rasch model for polytomous data, assumes the probability of successfully performing an item is dependent on the relation between a person's ability and item difficulty.…”