Sit-and-reach test can predict mobility of patients recovering from acute stroke

Tsang YL, Mak MK. Sit-and-reach test can predict mobility of patients recovering from acute stroke. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2004;85:94-8. Objectives: To establish the test-retest reliability of the sit-and-reach test (SRT) and to determine the capacity of the SRT to predict mobility of patients recovering from acute stroke. Design: Study 1 consisted of repeating the SRT to examine its reliability over trials (same day) and sessions (alternate days). Study 2 consisted of measuring performance in the SRT 7 to 10 days poststroke and measuring mobility at discharge for prospective analysis. Setting: Medical and rehabilitation wards in hospital in Hong Kong. Participants: Thirty-six subjects with acute stroke (study 1, n = 10; study 2, n = 26). Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: Between 7 and 10 days of stroke onset, distance reached on the SRT was measured. Mobility at discharge was assessed using the transfer and locomotion scale of the FIM(TM) instrument (FIM mobility) and a timed walk test. Results: The intertrial and intersession reliability of the SRT were rated good, with intraclass correlation coefficients of .98 and .79, respectively. Distance reached on the SRT correlated with the FIM mobility score on discharge (r = .572, P = .002) and the distance achieved on the timed walk test (r = .524, P = .006). Distance reached on the SRT accounted for 32.7% and 27.5% of the variance in the FIM mobility score at discharge and the distance achieved on the timed walk test, respectively. Conclusions: Performance in the SRT is reliable and can significantly predict the mobility of patients with acute stroke at discharge.