Clinical Motor Coordination Tests in Adult Neurology: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Purpose: This scoping review aimed to identify which clinical tests are used to assess upper limb, lower limb, and trunk motor coordination, and their metric and measurement properties for adult neurological populations. Method: MEDLINE (1946–) and EMBASE (1996–) databases were searched using keywords such as movement quality, motor performance, motor coordination, assessment, and psychometrics. Data regarding the body part assessed, neurological condition, psychometric properties, and scored metrics of spatial and/or temporal coordination were independently extracted by two reviewers. Alternate versions of some tests such as the Finger-to-Nose Test were included. Results: Fifty-one included articles yielded 2 tests measuring spatial coordination, 7 tests measuring temporal coordination, and 10 tests measuring both. Scoring metrics and measurement properties differed between tests, with a majority of tests having good-to-excellent measurement properties. Conclusions: The metrics of motor coordination scored by current tests vary. Since tests do not assess functional task performance, the onus falls on clinicians to infer the connection between coordination impairments and functional deficits. Clinical practice would benefit from the development of a battery of tests that assesses the metrics of coordination related to functional performance.