Reliability of modified functional reach test in children with cerebral palsy aged 6-18 years: An observational cross-sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundBalance in sitting plays an important role among children with cerebral palsy. The modified functional reach test(mFRT) is reliable tool to evaluate both static and dynamic sitting balance among children but the reliability of mFRT has not been proven among cerebral palsy children. ObjectiveTo find the reliability of mFRT(forward reach, left lateral and right lateral reach), cerebral palsy children. Methods and MaterialAn observational cross-sectional study on 90 children with cerebral palsy aged 6-to-18 years was randomly selected. The children reached forward and at both the lateral directions. Three successive trials of forward reach and lateral reaches with the child sitting with feet shoulder width apart were performed and the mean of 3 trials was calculated. Reliability of mFRT test in all the directions (forward, left and right lateral) was found out. ResultsReliability of mFRT test was found out in all the directions. The values of reach in age groups were compared. The genders were compared with the mFRT. GMFCS levels were compared with mFRT. BMI was correlated with mFRT. DiscussionThis study found excellent intra rater reliability(test-retest reliability) of mFRT in children with cerebral palsy aged 6-18years, in all directions; forward reach test r=0.996, left lateral reach test r=0.974, right lateral reach test r = 0.988. This test can be used to evaluate the dynamic sitting balance of children with cerebral palsy of age 6-18 years in both genders. ConclusionsThe mFRT has excellent intra rater-reliability among cerebral palsy children of 6-18 years.