Evaluation of Gait Performance in Children With Neuromuscular Diagnoses

Evaluation of the Gait Performance Measures 'Functional Mobility Scale' and 'Gillette Functional Assessment Questionnaire' in Children With Neuromuscular Diagnoses

The aims of this project are to evaluate the psychometric properties of the German versions of the two performance questionnaires 'Functional Mobility Scale' (FMS) and 'Gillette Functional Assessment Questionnaire - walking scale' (GFAQ) in children between 6-18 years with a neuromuscular diagnosis.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Psychometrics of Two Translated Measurement Tools
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Gait rehabilitation

Detailed Description

The German versions of the two questionnaires 'Functional Mobility Scale' (FMS) and 'Gillette Functional Assessment Questionnaire - walking scale' (GFAQ) are evaluated in terms of construct validity, inter- and intra-rater reliability as well as responsiveness in children with a neuromuscular diagnosis, who absolve an inpatient stay in the rehabilitation center of the University Chilren's Hospital Zurich, Switzerland.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 72

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Switzerland
  • Affoltern am Albis, Switzerland, CH-8910
    • University Children's Hospital Zurich, Rehabilitation Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 6 years to 18 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Children with neuromuscular diagnoses, who are inpatients in the rehabilitation center of the University Children's Hospital Zurich in Affoltern am Albis.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Neuromuscular diagnosis
• Age: 6-18 years
• Rehabilitation goal = improvement of walking abilities

Exclusion Criteria:

• Children's whose parents are not German-speaking

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Gait rehabilitation; Multi-modal therapy program including physiotherapy with the aim of gait improvement, Lokomat or treadmill training, strength training, sports therapy. Frequency and intensity are individually assigned.	Other: Gait rehabilitation

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Functional Mobility Scale (FMS)	The questionnaire is filled in independently by the parents, the primary nurse as well as the physiotherapist of each child.	Participants will be followed for the duration of the rehabilitation stay, an expected average of 12 weeks, with measurements at admission and discharge.
Gillette Functional Assessment Questionnaire - Walking Scale (GFAQ)	The questionnaire is filled in independently by the parents, the primary nurse as well as the physiotherapist of each child.	Participants will be followed for the duration of the rehabilitation stay, an expected average of 12 weeks, with measurements at admission and discharge.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Global Rating Scale (GRS)	A global rating on the perceived change of the child's functional mobility over the rehabilitation period and whether this change is perceived as meaningful or not; on a 5-point Likert scale, scored by the parents and the physiotherapist.	Participants will be followed for the duration of the rehabilitation stay, an expected average of 12 weeks, with only one measurement at discharge.

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Functional Independence Measure for Children (WeeFIM)	The WeeFIM-Item Locomotion (Walking) is scored by the primary nurse.	Participants will be followed for the duration of the rehabilitation stay, an expected average of 12 weeks, with measurements at admission and discharge.
10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT)	For the evaluation of the construct validity of the FMS and the GFAQ, the 10MWT comfortable speed as well as maximal speed will be performed shortly before discharge on a 14-meter long track with standardized instructions.	Participants will be followed for the duration of the rehabilitation stay, an expected average of 12 weeks, with only one measurement at discharge.
6-Minute walk test (6MinWT)	For the evaluation of the construct validity of the FMS and the GFAQ, the 6MinWT is performed shortly before discharge on a 30-meter long track with standardized instructions.	Participants will be followed for the duration of the rehabilitation stay, an expected average of 12 weeks, with only one measurement at discharge.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University Children's Hospital, Zurich
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Corinne Ammann-Reiffer, MPTSc, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Rehabilitation Center Affoltern

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: April 1, 2014
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 31, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): January 31, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 1, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 8, 2014
• First Posted (Estimate): September 11, 2014

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): November 5, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 4, 2020
• Last Verified: November 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Gait; Neuromuscular Diseases; Psychometrics; Outcome Assessment; Clinical Assessment Tools
• Other Study ID Numbers: GaitPerformance_2014