Trunk Impairment Scale
Why Use
Provides a structured assessment of trunk stability, balance, and coordination in sitting. Offers objective feedback on progress, which can help motivate patients and guide rehab interventions.
When to Use
Use in patients with neurological conditions (e.g., sub-acute or chronic stroke, Parkinson disease) affecting trunk control. Can be employed in both inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation settings to guide care planning.
Formula
Pearls / Pitfalls
Proper patient positioning and standardization of the test environment are crucial for accuracy. Patients must be able to follow basic commands. Note that the static subscale suffers from a ceiling effect and was removed in the 2.0 version ( Verheyden et al., 2010 ).
Advice
Combine these results with other functional measures (e.g., gait assessments, functional independence scales) for a more comprehensive view of recovery. Focus interventions on identified areas of deficit (e.g., trunk coordination, static balance, dynamic control). Use results to track progress over time and update rehabilitation goals as patients improve.