Article

Purpose. Clinical measures of seated postural control in adults are not standardized and most are derived from in-house tools. The purpose of this study is to adapt a pediatric instrument to evaluate seated postural control in adult wheelchair users. Method. The new instrument is called the Seated Postural Control Measure for Adults (SPCMA) 1.0. Five preliminary versions were pretested with some 20 adults by two raters and a group of experts. Results. This instrument comprises three sections: Section 1, level of sitting scale for adults (1 item, 7-point ordinal scale) ; Section 2, static postural alignment (22 items, 7-point ordinal scale); and Section 3, postural alignment after a dynamic activity, propulsion of the wheelchair on flat terrain and an incline (22 items, 7-point ordinal scale). Conclusions. The SPCMA for Adults 1.0 improves the quality and uniformity of evaluations done by different raters, which facilitates more rigorous follow-up of clients over time, communication between professionals, and objective verification of the attainment of intervention objectives.

Langue : ANGLAIS