Which assessment is commonly used to evaluate motor function in stroke rehabilitation?

The Fugl-Meyer Assessment is widely recognized as a comprehensive evaluation tool specifically designed to measure motor function, balance, sensation, and joint functioning in individuals who have suffered a stroke. This assessment is particularly valuable in the rehabilitation context because it provides detailed insights into the patient's motor recovery, helping clinicians understand the extent of deficits and track progress over time.

The Fugl-Meyer scale consists of various tasks that assess different aspects of motor performance, such as range of motion, reflexes, and voluntary movement. By offering a quantitative score, it enables healthcare professionals to tailor rehabilitation programs to the unique needs of the patient and gauge the effectiveness of interventions. Its robust design and validation make it a standard assessment in clinical practice for stroke rehabilitation.

Other assessments listed, such as the Brunnstrom Assessment, focus on specific aspects of recovery and may not provide as comprehensive a view as the Fugl-Meyer. The Mini-Mental State Examination assesses cognitive function rather than motor abilities, and the Functional Independence Measure evaluates overall functioning and independence in daily activities, which is broader and not solely focused on motor recovery.