Floor Transfer Test for assessing people with chronic stroke

Abstract

Objective: To investigate: (i) intra-rater, inter-rater and test-retest reliability of the Timed Floor Transfer Test (FTT); (ii) validity of FTT times with stroke-specific impairments and functional mobility; and (iii) cut-off time that best discriminates people with stroke from healthy older adults. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: University-based rehabilitation laboratory. Subjects: Forty-seven people with stroke and 35 healthy older adults. Methods: FTT completion times were measured along with a Fugl-Meyer assessment of the lower extremities (FMA-LE); Five Times Sit-To-Stand Test (FTSTST) completion times, Berg Balance Scale (BBS) scores; Timed "Up & Go" (TUG) test; and assessment using the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC). Results: FTT completion times showed good to excellent intra-rater, inter-rater and test-retest reliability. The minimal detectable change of FTT completion times was 7.7 s. A cut-off time of 8.8 s was found to discriminate well between people with stroke and healthy older adults. The FTT times showed significant negative correlation with FMA-LE scores and BBS scores, and significant positive correlation with FTSTS completion times and TUG times. Conclusion: The FTT is a reliable clinical test for assessing the floor-transfer ability of people with chronic stroke.