Purpose
Test of both static and dynamic balance under varying sensory conditions. Designed to measure balance in higher-functioning active older adults.
Acronym
FAB Scale
Area of Assessment
Balance – Non-vestibular
Cost
Free
Diagnosis/Conditions
- Brain Injury Recovery
- Parkinson's Disease & Movement Disorders
- 10 performance-based activities in the test.
- Score of 0-40 points possible (higher scores are better).
- Items scored on a 5-point ordinal scale (0-4).
- Administration instructions can be found at the above link.
Required Training
No Training
Professional Association Recommendation
Recommendations for use of the instrument from the Neurology Section of the American Physical Therapy Association’s Multiple Sclerosis Taskforce (MSEDGE), Parkinson’s Taskforce (PD EDGE), Spinal Cord Injury Taskforce (PD EDGE), Stroke Taskforce (StrokEDGE), Traumatic Brain Injury Taskforce (TBI EDGE), and Vestibular Taskforce (Vestibular EDGE) are listed below. These recommendations were developed by a panel of research and clinical experts using a modified Delphi process.
For detailed information about how recommendations were made, please visit: http://www.neuropt.org/go/healthcare-professionals/neurology-section-outcome-measures-recommendations
Abbreviations:
|
|
HR
|
Highly Recommend
|
R
|
Recommend
|
LS / UR
|
Reasonable to use, but limited study in target group / Unable to Recommend
|
NR
|
Not Recommended
|
Recommendations based on level of care in which the assessment is taken:
|
Acute Care
|
Inpatient Rehabilitation
|
Skilled Nursing Facility
|
Outpatient
Rehabilitation
|
Home Health
|
MS EDGE
|
UR
|
UR
|
UR
|
UR
|
UR
|
TBI EDGE
|
LS
|
LS
|
LS
|
LS
|
LS
|
Recommendations for use based on ambulatory status after brain injury:
|
Completely Independent
|
Mildly dependant
|
Moderately Dependant
|
Severely Dependant
|
TBI EDGE
|
LS
|
LS
|
LS
|
NR
|
Recommendations based on EDSS Classification:
|
EDSS 0.0 – 3.5
|
EDSS 4.0 – 5.5
|
EDSS 6.0 – 7.5
|
EDSS 8.0 – 9.5
|
MS EDGE
|
UR
|
UR
|
NR
|
NR
|
Recommendations for entry-level physical therapy education and use in research:
|
Students should learn to administer this tool? (Y/N)
|
Students should be exposed to tool? (Y/N)
|
Appropriate for use in intervention research studies? (Y/N)
|
Is additional research warranted for this tool (Y/N)
|
MS EDGE
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
TBI EDGE
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Not reported
|
The Academy of Oncologic Physical Therapy of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) formed the Cancer Evaluation Database to Guide Effectiveness (EDGE) Task Force to provide recommendations for outcome measures to use in patients affected by cancer. Below is the recommendation for use of the Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale. Recommendations were developed by research and clinical experts by critically appraising the literature to assess the psychometric properties and clinical utility of the outcome measure. Outcome measures were ranked using the Cancer EDGE Rating Scale.
Detailed information on recommendations for measures of balance in adult cancer survivors can be found at:
- Huang MH, Hile E, Croarkin E, Wampler-Kuhn M, Blackwood J, Colon G, Pfalzer L. Academy of Oncologic Physical Therapy EDGE Task Force: A Systematic Review of Measures of Balance in Adult Cancer Survivors. Rehabilitation Oncology. 2019;37:92-103.
|
Cancer EDGE Rating Scale:
|
|
4
|
Highly recommended
|
The outcome measure has excellent psychometric properties (reliability and validity AND have available data to guide interpretation) in condition of interest and excellent clinical utility (≤20 min, equip in clinic, no copyright payments, easy to score); the measure is free or reasonably accessible to a broad range of providers.
|
3
|
Recommended
|
The outcome measure has good psychometric properties (may lack some info about reliability, validity, responsiveness) in the population of interest and good clinical utility (>20 min, some equip, training, copyright fee); OR has excellent psychometric properties but is not free and may require access to specialized testing equipment that is beyond the means of many clinicians or clinics.
|
2
|
Reasonable to use
|
Limited study in the target group; the outcome measure has good or excellent psychometric properties and clinical utility in a related population, but insufficient study in the target population to support higher recommendation.
|
1
|
Not recommended
|
The outcome measure has poor psychometric properties and/or poor clinical utility.
|
Recommendation for use of the Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale in adult cancer survivors:
4 Highly Recommended
|
Considerations
- Fairly new measure, with limited psychometric data and testing in populations other than older adults (Langley and Mackintosh, 2007)
Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale translations:
German:
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00391-011-0236-8
These translations, and links to them, are subject to the Terms and Conditions of Use of the Rehab Measures Database. RIC is not responsible for and does not endorse the content, products or services of any third-party website, and does not make any representations regarding its quality, content or accuracy. If you would like to contribute a language translation to the RMD, please contact us at rehabmeasures@ric.org.
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