Table 1.

Descriptions of the Hoffer Scale and Shriners Ambulation Scale41

Scale	Description
Hoffer Scale	Community ambulators: These patients walk indoors and outdoors for most of their activities and may need crutches or braces, or both. They use a wheelchair only for long trips out of the community.
	Household ambulators: These patients walk only indoors and with apparatus. They are able to get in and out of the chair and bed with little if any assistance. They may use the wheelchair for some indoor activities at home and school and for all activities in the community.
	Non-functional ambulatory: Walking for these patients is a therapy session at home, in school, or in the hospital. Afterward they use their wheelchairs to get from place to place and to satisfy all their needs for transportation.
	Non-ambulators: These patients are wheelchair-bound but usually can transfer from chair to bed
Shriners Ambulation Scale	Primary ambulators: They use wheelchairs for long distances.
	Unplanned ambulators: They are primary users of a wheelchair but can stand to perform upright activities without preparation or assistance. Activities can range from standing at a sink for grooming to ambulating with braces and an assistive device on a school playground.
	Planned ambulators: They use a wheelchair but cannot participation in any upright activities without preparation. Preparation includes arranging others to be present to assistance (for guarding during sit to stand transfer or during ambulation) or planning ahead to ensure braces are worn on specific day or at a specific time.
	Nonambulators: They do not participate in any standing activities.

Note: Scale does not depend on receiving therapy service (presence of a health care provider), environmental setting, or subjective determination of functional vs therapeutic activities.