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The Functional Ambulation Classification (FAC) was an early method for classifying mobility. The primary aim in the development of the FAC was to establish a clinically meaningful outcome measure of mobility. Secondary aims were to devise an inexpensive measure that required little time for therapist training and administration, yet was reliable and valid.
Current Knowledge
The FAC was developed in a cohort of 61 persons with stroke or multiple sclerosis. The FAC has six categories ranging from 0 (non-functional ambulation) to 5 (independent). The intermediary categories quantify levels of assistance, supervision, and independent but limited mobility. Assessors are required to observe performance over various slopes and surfaces. Spatio-temporal parameters (i.e., velocity, cadence, stride length) were correlated with the classification categories to investigate validity. Moderate to strong correlations were found between spatio-temporal parameters and the...
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References and Readings
Holden, M., Gill, K., Magliozzi, M., Nathan, J., & Piehl-Baker, L. (1984). Clinical gait assessment in the neurologically impaired: reliability and meaningfulness. Physical Therapy, 64, 35–40.
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Williams, G. (2011). Functional Ambulation Classification. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79948-3_1935
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79948-3_1935
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-0-387-79947-6
Online ISBN: 978-0-387-79948-3
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