Development and psychometric properties of the Basic Amputee Mobility Score for use in patients with a major lower extremity amputation.

Aim: To develop and examine the psychometric properties, including responsiveness and interrater reliability, of a new outcome measure for the evaluation of basic mobility activities after a major lower extremity amputation - The Basic Amputee Mobility Score (BAMS).

Methods: The four following essential activities were chosen through consensus meetings with experienced amputee physiotherapists: (i) supine in bed to sitting on the edge of the bed; (ii) bed to wheelchair transfer; (iii) indoor wheelchair mobility; and (iv) get up from a wheelchair to standing on the non-amputated leg. Each activity is scored from 0 to 2 (0 = not able to; 1 = able to with assistance/guiding; and 2 = independent), and cumulated to a 1-day BAMS score of 0-8.

Number of test trials needed for performance stability and interrater reliability of the one leg stand test in patients with a major non-traumatic lower limb amputation.

Introduction: Balance is beneficial for daily functioning of patients with a lower limb amputation and sometimes assessed by the one-leg stand test (OLST). The aims of the study were to examine (1) the number of trials needed to achieve performance stability, (2) the interrater reliability of the OLST in patients with a major non-traumatic lower limb amputation, and (3) to provide a test procedure.

Methods: Thirteen women and 23 men with a mean age (SD) of 67.