Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS)
Original Editor - Emily Hanson
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Objective
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The objective of the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) is to measure "patients' initial function, ongoing progress, and outcome" for a wide range of lower-extremity conditions.[1]
Intended Population
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The LEFS is intended for use on adults with lower extremity conditions.[1]
Method of Use[edit | edit source]
Example Questionnaire:
The LEFS is a self-report questionnaire. Patients answer the question "Today, do you or would you have any difficulty at all with:" in regards to twenty different activities.[1] Patients select an answer from the following scale for each activity listed:
- Extreme Difficulty or Unable to Perform Activity
- Quite a Bit of Difficulty
- Moderate Difficulty
- A Little Bit of Difficulty
- No Difficulty
The patient's score is tallied at the bottom of the page. The maximum possible score is 80 points, indicating very high function. The minimum possible score is 0 points, indicating very low function.
Evidence[edit | edit source]
Reliability[edit | edit source]
Internal reliability for the LEFS is excellent (α=0.96). Test-retest reliability estimates were R=.86 (95% lower limit CI=.80) for the entire sample (n=98) and R=.94 (95% lower limit CI=.89) for the subset of patients with more chronic conditions (n=31).[1]
Validity[edit | edit source]
The LEFS is a valid tool as compared to the SF-36.[1]
Responsiveness[edit | edit source]
The minimum detectable change (MDC) for the LEFS is 9 points. That is, a change of more than 9 points represents a true change in the patient's condition.[1]
The minimum clinically important difference (MCID) for the LEFS is 9 points. That is, "Clinicians can be reasonably confident that a change of greater than 9 points is... a clinically meaningful functional change."[1]
The capacity of the LEFS to detect change in lower-extremity function appears to be superior to that of the SF-36 physical function subscale, as indicated by higher correlations with an external prognostic rating of change.[1]
Miscellaneous
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The LEFS has an error of +/- 5 points. That is, the tabulated score is within 5 points of a patient's "true" score.[1]
Links[edit | edit source]
Lower Extremity Functional Scale, from the McReady Foundation
Recent Related Research (from Pubmed)[edit | edit source]
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