The North Star Ambulatory Assessment is used for functional assessment in which population?

• A. Cardiac Function Assessment in DMD
• B. Acute Gait Analysis in Amputees
• C. Cerebral Palsy Assessment
• D. Functional Assessment in Kids with DMD

Answer: (D)

The North Star Ambulatory Assessment is a functional outcome measure designed specifically for ambulatory children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. It assesses how well they perform everyday gross motor tasks—standing from the floor, walking, running, climbing stairs, and other movements—by scoring each item, with a higher total indicating better function. This tool is used to track disease progression and response to therapy over time in kids with Duchenne.

Because it was developed for ambulant Duchenne patients, it fits that population best. It isn’t a measure of cardiac function, nor is it a gait analysis tool for amputees, and it’s not the standard assessment used for cerebral palsy, which relies on different scales like the Gross Motor Function Measure.