What is it about?
We have developed “Ambulation Independence Measure (AIM) , which assesses the gait ability. Many patients, which inclueded acute stroke patients, use various walking aids and orthoses for gait training in rehabilitation. These use, however, can overestimate the patients’ gait ability. To prevent overestimation of the patients’ gait ability, AIM limit types of walking aids and orthoses used during the walking trial to determine the AIM score. For example, patients are allowed to use an ankle foot orthosis, crutch or cane, but they are not used other orthoses or walking aids such as a knee ankle foot orthosis, robotic device, parallel bar or walker. This study showed that AIM has excellent interrater reliablity, concurrent validity and predictive validity, and good responsiveness. In particular, the AIM in stroke patients at the early onset was a stronger predictor of gait ability at discharge than standard gait independence assessment (functional ambulation category), trunk function and lower extremity motor function. AIM is very easy to evaluate. We hope that AIM will be used for more patients included stroke patients, especially with severe gait disturbances.