Orpington Prognostic Scale
What It Measures
The Orpington Prognostic Scale is a five-minute bedside examination used early after a stroke to help answer a practical question: how much is this person likely to recover, and what kind of rehabilitation should they be triaged toward?
Four things are examined. Motor deficit in the affected arm, graded on the standard 0-to-5 muscle strength scale. Proprioception, tested by asking the person to find their affected thumb with their eyes closed. Balance, from walking ten feet unaided down to no sitting balance. And cognition, using a ten-question mental test. Each contributes up to 1.2 or 1.6 points, added to a baseline of 1.6, so totals run from 1.6 to 6.8. Higher means more impairment.
Further Reading
Additional Notes
Licensing Notes: The scale is reproduced without restriction across clinical resources. No equipment or special training is required.
Learn More: Below 3.2 indicates mild to moderate stroke — these patients often recover well with limited input. 3.2 to 5.2 is the group that generally responds best to rehabilitation. Above 5.2 indicates severe stroke, with a higher likelihood of remaining dependent and an increased risk of institutionalization.
