Assessment Overview

Purpose: The Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS) was a scale originally used to assess the trunk motor impairments of an individual post-stroke. Since then, more research has been done to show the usefulness of this outcome measure in patients with Parkinson’s disease, brain injury, and MS.

Summary: To perform this test, the patient begins sitting with the knees and hips at 90° and the feet flat on the floor. From here, the patient crosses each leg over the other, attempts to lean over and touch an elbow to the table, rotates their pelvis off the table, etc. Scores range from 0-2 on most items, with a total possible score of 23.

Equipment: Treatment table, stopwatch

ICF Category: Impairment, Activity

Assessment Handout

Assessment Psychometrics

The TIS assesses impairment and activity level limitations according to the ICF domain. Neuro PT EDGE recommends (¾) using the TIS in the following settings: acute, inpatient rehab, home health, and skilled nursing. It is also recommended (¾) for the following disability levels (EDSS): 4.0-5.5, 6.0-7.5, 8.0-9.5. Students should learn to administer this tool, and this tool has been validated for use in research.

• Concurrent Validity: TIS correlates with the FIM (rho=0.81) and EDSS (rho=-0.85)

• Interrater Reliability: In 30 patients with MS, static sitting balance ranged .88-1.0; dynamic sitting balance 0.55-1.0; coordination 0.46-0.78 ; ICC=0.97 for total TIS

• Mean Data: 45% of healthy people did not reach the maximal score on the TIS

• Test-retest Reliability: ICC for total TIS=0.95; Static sitting balance ranged 0.87-1.0; dynamic 0.49-0.91; coordination 0.63-0.82

Instructional Video

Application Video