| Summary: | A RESEARCH REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES,
SCHOOL OF THERAPEUTIC SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND,
JOHANNESBURG, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
JOHANNESBURG, APRIL 2015 === Studies to determine which underlying motor deficits have the greatest impact on
improvement in functioning within activities of daily living in stroke patients are nonexistent
with regard to the South African context. Effective stroke rehabilitation is essential
due to rapid discharge rates and therefore it is important to focus on the motor deficit that
will contribute most significantly to function. Patients from the ages of 35 to 85, who had
suffered a stroke and were admitted to a private, neurological, rehabilitation facility in
Johannesburg gave consent to participate in three outcome measures determining
adequacy of balance (Berg Balance Scale), upper limb movement (Frenchay Arm Test)
and gait (Timed Up-and-go Test) as well as one outcome measure determining level of
functioning within activities of daily living (Functional Independence Measure). Results
from the pre- and post-tests indicated that all participants improved during the time of
rehabilitation. The findings of the outcome measures for each of the three different motor
components were correlated with functioning in ADLs for each patient. The results
showed that balance had the strongest correlation with functioning in ADLs, followed by
upper limb movement, and then gait. The use of the FIM as a functional measure
appeared to have some limitations and is not standardised to be used within the South
African context.
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