PASS – Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients | Calculator and Norms
Here we go! Treadwell, DPT back with another outcome measure resource.
The Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients (PASS) is one of the most widely used balance and postural control tests in stroke rehab. Designed specifically for individuals post-stroke, it gives clinicians a reliable and sensitive way to measure recovery and predict independence.
On this page you’ll find:
Interactive PASS Calculator
Scoring instructions and interpretation
Normative and stroke-specific values
Clinical insights and reliability data
The PASS includes 12 items, each scored from 0 to 3:
0 = Cannot perform
1 = Performs with severe impairment
2 = Performs with mild impairment
3 = Performs without assistance
Tasks cover sitting, standing, transfers, and postural control challenges.
Total score = 0–36. Higher = better postural stability and independence.
Normative Values
PASS does not have an official healthy “normative” data the way other assessments does, since it’s stroke-specific, but cutoffs and benchmarks are established:
PASS ≥12 at 30 days post-stroke → predictive of walking ability at 6 months.
PASS ≥9 at 2 weeks post-stroke → predictive of independence in ADLs at 6 months.
🔎 Source: Benaim C, Pérennou DA, Villy J, Rousseaux M, Pelissier J. Validation of a standardized assessment of postural control in stroke patients: the Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients (PASS). Stroke. 1999;30:1862–1868.
Clinical Notes
Population: Stroke-specific, validated across acute, subacute, and chronic phases.
Reliability: Excellent inter-rater and test-retest reliability (ICC > 0.95).
Clinical Use: Highly sensitive in the early recovery phase, when other outcome measures may not detect small changes.
Practicality: Takes ~10 minutes, requires no special equipment.
Working with stroke rehab patients and need expert guidance?
I offer virtual consultations to help design safe, effective programs for balance and postural recovery.
