Article

We aimed to review tools used to assess balance in clinical practice in children
and adults with cerebral palsy (CP), to describe their content and measurement
properties and to evaluate the quality of the studies that have examined these
properties. CINAHL, Embase, and PubMed/MEDLINE were searched.
The COnsensus-based
Standards for selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) was used to
assess the 'quality of studies' and the Terwee criteria were used to assess the
'result of studies'. Twenty-two clinical balance tools were identified from 35
papers. The content and focus of the tools varied significantly. There was
moderate or limited levels of evidence for most of the measurement properties of
the tools; the strongest level of evidence was found for the Trunk Control
Measurement Scale and the Level of Sitting Scale, in the category 'maintain
balance', the Timed Up and Go and the Segmental Assessment of Trunk Control in
the categories 'achieve balance' and 'restore balance' respectively. Information
on responsiveness was scarce. Further studies providing better evidence for
reliability and responsiveness for clinical balance tools are needed. In the
meantime, results of studies evaluating effects of treatment of balance in
individuals with CP should be interpreted with caution.
CI - (c) 2013 Mac Keith Press.

Langue : ANGLAIS