Background: Balance assessment post-stroke should be evidence-based, comprehensive and sensitive. It is unknown how balance dysfunction post-stroke is measured in Africa.
Aim: The overall aim of the chapter was to investigate how balance dysfunction post-stroke was measured in Africa and to report the potential benefits of multifaceted assessments.
Methods: The scoping review explored measurement tools used to assess balance dysfunction, and the pre–post longitudinal study illustrated combining clinical and quantitative balance assessments in South African stroke inpatients. Eight databases were systematically searched for balance measures reported in primary and secondary published stroke research in Africa and reported narratively. The longitudinal study compared clinical Berg balance scale (BBS) and pressure mat balance measures (centre of pressure [COP] velocity), anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) sway and partial weight bearing asymmetry (PWBA). Statistical analyses were performed using STATA version 14.2 and statistical significance was at 5%.
Findings: Sixteen studies were included in the review. The BBS was used in 11 (69%) studies. Only one study used an instrumented quantitative system. In the pre–post longitudinal study, 41 of 49 participants (mean age 48) completed discharge reassessments. All BBS items improved significantly (p < 0.001), demonstrating low fall risk at discharge. Anteroposterior sway (p = 0.004) and velocity (p = 0.019) of COP improved significantly, but ML sway (p = 0.055) and PWBA did not improve (p = 0.161).
Conclusion: Although quantitative measures were rarely used for balance assessment in Africa, such assessments might hold value as individuals with a low fall risk according to BBS might have ongoing impairments.
Copyright © Quinette Louw.