Article

The Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) is a widely used
questionnaire to evaluate the functional impairment of a patient with a disorder
of one or both lower extremities. It also can be used to monitor the patient over
time and to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention. Nevertheless there is
no Spanish version of the LEFS, so the aim of this study was the translation and
cross-cultural adaption of the Spanish version of the LEFS and to evaluate its
psychometrics properties. METHODS: The questionnaire was cross cultural adapted
into Spanish. The psychometric properties tested in the Spanish version of the
LEFS were: internal consistency, test-retest reliability, constructs validity,
discriminative validity, responsiveness, concurrent validity and floor and
ceiling effects in 132 participants seeking for treatment due to lower extremity
dysfunction. RESULTS: The Spanish version of the LEFS had high internal
consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.989), test-retest reliability (ICC=0.998, 95% CI:
0.996-0.999) and presented a high correlation with the SF-36 (36-Item Short-Form
Health Survey) especially with the physical function and pain subscales. The
construct validity showed a single factor that account for 84.95% of the
variance. The standard error of measurement of the Spanish version of the LEFS
was 0.88 scale points (95% CI) and the minimal detectable change was 2.18 scale
points (95% CI). The sample, collected from five Spanish physical therapy
centers, was divided in groups (acute, sub-acute and chronic subjects). Within
group changes showed a significant improvement on the LEFS score (p<0.001) and
effect sizes were large in all conditions. The LEFS allowed to distingue between
acute and not acute conditions; for this criterion ROC curve was performed at
baseline (area under the curve [AUC]=0.95). There was no floor or ceiling
effects. CONCLUSIONS: The Spanish version of the LEFS has been shown to be a
valid and reliable tool to assess musculoskeletal dysfunction in the lower
extremity that could be used with Spanish speaker population. Implications for
Rehabilitation Cross-cultural adaptation of a self-reported questionnaire to
evaluate musculoskeletal lower extremity disorders in the Spanish population. To
provide Spanish clinicians and physiotherapists a useful tool to assess the lower
extremity function. To provide Spanish researchers a valid tool for research on
lower extremity function: patient's improvement due to treatment, compare results obtained between populations, treatment.
- Echelle - Espagne

Langue : ANGLAIS