Life Space Assessment in Spinal Cord Injury

The Life Space Assessment (LSA) is a self-report measure that captures how far and how often someone moves around in their environment, considering if they need help from others or equipment. It looks at mobility within a room, outside the home, in the neighborhood, in town, and outside of town. This study examines the LSA specifically in people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) to see if it's a useful and reliable tool for this population.

• 1
  The LSA is a reliable measure for assessing life space in individuals with SCI, as indicated by a high test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.876).
• 2
  The study identified cutoff scores on the LSA that can help distinguish between individuals with restricted versus unrestricted life spaces, with different cutoff scores depending on whether equipment or personal assistance is needed for mobility.
• 3
  LSA scores correlated moderately with the Reintegration to Normal Living Index (RNLI), suggesting that the LSA captures a different, but related, aspect of participation after SCI.