Reliability, minimal detectable change, and responsiveness of the Quick-FAAM

Objective: To determine the test-retest reliability, minimal detectable change (MDC) and responsiveness of the Quick-FAAM in people with chronic ankle instability (CAI). Design: 10-week controlled laboratory study. Setting: Laboratory. Participants: A total of 20 adults with self-reported CAI. Main outcome measures: Participants completed a supervised 4-week intervention. The Quick-FAAM was assessed 4-weeks before the intervention (T1), prior to the first intervention (T2), 24-h post-intervention (T3), and 2-weeks after the intervention (T4). The Quick-FAAM is a 12-item region specific PRO scored on 5-point Likert scale, often reported as a percentage, and a lower percentage indicates decreased ankle function. Test-retest reliability was determined using Intraclass-correlation coefficients (ICC_2,1) and standard error of measure (SEM). The MDC was calculated using the equation: SEM*√2. Hedges g effect sizes and associated 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated as a measure of group responsiveness. Results: The test-retest reliability was clinically acceptable (ICC_2,1 = 0.82, SEM = 4.56). The MDC was 6.5% and pre-post intervention effect sizes were large between T2-T3 (ES = 1.27, 95%CI:0.59–1.95) and T2-T4 (ES = 1.49, 95%CI:0.79–2.19). Conclusion: The Quick-FAAM demonstrated clinically acceptable reliability and was responsive to treatment. Future research should examine these properties in patients with acute ankle and foot conditions, determine patient acceptability, and clinician feasibility.