Brunnstrom Stages
Pronunciation: BROO-nuh-strom
A six-stage clinical scale describing the sequential recovery of motor function following stroke-related hemiplegia, from flaccidity through synergy patterns to near-normal movement.
Full Definition
The Brunnstrom Stages of Motor Recovery—developed by Swedish physiotherapist Signe Brunnström in the 1960s—provide a framework for classifying motor function in hemiplegic patients across six progressive stages: Stage I (flaccidity), Stage II (spasticity begins, minimal voluntary movement), Stage III (spasticity peaks, voluntary movement possible only in synergy), Stage IV (some movements outside synergy), Stage V (spasticity decreasing, more complex combinations), and Stage VI (near-normal coordination). The scale is applied separately to the arm, hand, and leg. Editors must capitalise 'Brunnstrom' as a proper noun and render 'Stages' with an initial capital when referring to the named scale. Arabic numerals are standard for stage notation; do not use Roman numerals unless the source document does so. The scale is distinct from the Modified Ashworth Scale, which measures spasticity alone.
Usage
Usage note: Always capitalise 'Brunnstrom' and 'Stages' when referring to the named scale. Use Arabic numerals (Stage 3, not Stage III) unless following a specific journal's style. Do not abbreviate to 'B-stages.'
In Context
- "The physiotherapist documented the patient as Brunnstrom Stage III in the upper extremity at the time of admission." — Inpatient rehabilitation evaluation
- "Progress from Brunnstrom Stage II to Stage IV over six weeks was noted in the interdisciplinary team summary." — Rehabilitation progress note