Foot and Ankle Ability Measure

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Original Editors - Niels Verbeeck

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Intended Population

The Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) is a self-report outcome instrument developed to assess physical function for individuals with foot and ankle related impairments. This self-report outcome instrument is available in English, German, French and Persian. The Foot and Ankle Ability Measure is a 29-item questionnaire divided into two subscales: the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure, 21-item Activities of Daily Living Subscale and the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure, 8-item Sports Subscale. The Sports subscale assesses more difficult tasks that are essential to sport, it is a population-specific subscale designed for athletes.

The FAAM is identical to the FADI, except for an additional 5 items found on the FADI. Four ‘pain related’ items of the Foot and Ankle Disability Index and the ability of an individual to sleep are deleted. The Sports subscale of the FAAM remains the same as the FADI Sports subscale.

Each item is scored on a 5-point Likert scale (4 to 0) from ‘no difficulty at all’ to ‘unable to do’. Item score totals, which range from 0 to 84 for the ADL subscale and 0 to 32 for the Sports subscale, were transformed to percentage scores. Higher scores represent higher levels of function for each subscale, with 100% representing no dysfunction.
Eechaute et al  concluded that the FADI and FAAM were the most appropriate, patient-assessed instruments to quantify functional disabilities in patients with chronic ankle instability, but there is need for further research of the FAAM in a specific population of patients with CAI.

Method of Use

 The ADL and Sports subscales are scored separately.
The response to each item on the ADL subscale is scored from 4 to 0, with 4 being ‘no difficulty’ and 0 being ‘unable to do’. N/A responses are not counted. The score on each of the items are added together to get the item score total. The total number of items with a response is multiplied by 4 to get the highest potential score. If the subject answers all 21 items, the highest potential score is 84. If one item is not answered the highest score is 80, if two are not answered the total highest score is 76, etc. The item score total is divided by the highest potential score. This value is then multiplied by 100 to get a percentage. A higher score represents a higher level of physical function.
The Sports subscale is scored the same as above, 4 being ‘no difficulty at all’ to 0 being ‘unable to do’. The score on each item are added together to get the item score total. The number of items with a response is multiplied by 4 to get the highest potential score. If the subject answers all 8 items the highest potential score is 32, if one item is not answered the highest potential score is 28, if two are not answered the highest potential score is 24, ect. The item score total is divided by the highest potential score. This value is multiplied by 100 to get a percentage. A higher score represents a higher level of physical function.
For the most valid results it is suggested that scores for the FAAM ADL and Sports subscales be generated only when subjects completed 90% or more of the items (19 of 21 for the ADL and 7 of 8 for the Sports subscales respectively).

References

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