title: The chronic ankle instability scale: clinimetric properties of a multidimensional, patient-assessed instrument.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To construct the chronic ankle instability scale (CAIS) and evaluate its clinimetric properties.
  
  
  METHODS
  Validation study. The test procedure was conducted at the University Hospital of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine patients with chronic ankle instability (CAI) were selected.
  
  
  METHODS
  Content validity, test-retest reliability, internal consistency, floor-ceiling effects, construct validity and the minimal detectable change of the CAIS were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After final item reduction, the CAIS contains 14 items. Weighted kappa coefficients of the items ranged from .50 to .94. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the total score was .84 (p<.05). The standard error of measurement of the total score was 2.7 points; the minimal detectable change 4.7 points. Cronbach alpha coefficients for the subscales ranged from .62 to .80. The "impairments" subscale score of the CAIS did not correlate significantly with talar tilt values (Rho respectively -.05 and -.07; p>.05). The "disabilities" subscale score of the CAIS correlated significantly with both the timed test performance (Rho respectively -.38 and -.40; p<.05) and the perceived difficulty of the multiple hop test (Rho respectively -.41 and -.49; p<.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CAIS is a valid and reliable instrument for quantifying the multidimensional profile of patients with CAI. Future research should investigate the responsiveness of the CAIS and determine its minimally clinical important difference.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels, Belgium. christophe.eechaute@belgacom.net
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eechaute
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vaes
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Duquet
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001530:Belgium; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010358:Patient Participation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards; D055815:Young Adult