HiMat

Everyday living
1

I’m wondering if any of you are familiar with this? High level mobility assessmant tool.

My Physio had me do this series of physical test over two sessions, to rate my ability and to put together a Profile of my staus since my RRMS diagnosis. I had to squat, bend, pick up, walk while looking up/down, walk, stride, (skip/jump and hop was impossible for me), use of a few steps etc.

I asked for a copy of this report, and for one to be sent to my Neuro, who isn’t convinced of my deteriorating mobility. She has never seen me mobile! I’m in shown into her cubicle in Outpatients appointments, so am already seated. She only sees me go through the door as I leave. Now what interests me is the score sheet.

"She has a moderate falls risk scoring only 3/52 on HiMat .

HiMat; 3/54

Dynamic Gait Index; 17/24

MS impact score; 71/145

Does this make any sense to anyone please?

I’m reading the Impact score as…71/145 doesn’t make it seem too bad! (My mobility is truly awful now compared to when I saw my Neuro in February, when she changed my script for Tecfidera.)

2

Just bumping this back up. Nobody had anything like this?

3

Oh,Wow!

First off, the HiMat has not been validated for the assessment of people with MS,
This means that there is nothing to show that it ia actually doing a useful job -or - is it a valid test for PwMS?

The Dynamic Gait Index - as I understand it - has 8 questions, scoring 0-3 (i.e. a 4-point scale). I would love to know how to get a score of 17/24 without dropping some of the questions.

The MS Impact scale is well known and is accepted as a valid scale. Note that it takes an overall look, and has no bias toward mobility.

I have a personal position against any “tools” with 4 or 5 point scales - the margin for error is just too big.
if you are having trouble with your neuro about your mobility, I would ask firstly about the use of a tool (HiMat) that has not been validated, and then why the DGI seems to have not been used properly.

If you want more, send me a PM.

Geoff