Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) Calculator — Structured Questions
Assign a modified Rankin Scale score (0–6) for disability after stroke with short structured yes/no questions on walking, bodily needs, daily affairs, previous activities and symptoms.
How it works
Work down the questions and stop at the first “yes”: died → 6 · bedridden, incontinent, constant care → 5 · needs help to walk or with bodily needs → 4 · needs some help with daily affairs but walks unaided → 3 · cannot do all previous activities but manages own affairs → 2 · symptoms but all usual activities → 1 · no symptoms → 0.
The modified Rankin Scale (Rankin 1957; modified by van Swieten and colleagues, Stroke 1988) is the most widely used measure of global disability and dependence after stroke and the standard primary outcome of stroke trials, usually 90 days after the event. Because unstructured mRS ratings vary between assessors, structured interviews (Wilson 2002) and the simplified mRS questionnaire (Bruno 2010) ask a fixed series of questions and stop at the first one that applies; this calculator follows that logic using the official grade definitions. mRS 0–2 is commonly reported as functional independence.
Worked example
Three months after a stroke a person walks and looks after themselves without help and manages their own affairs, but has given up part-time work and some hobbies because of residual weakness: the first “yes” is “unable to do all usual previous activities”, so the score is mRS 2 — slight disability, still functionally independent.
Sources: van Swieten JC et al. Interobserver agreement for the assessment of handicap in stroke patients. Stroke 1988;19:604–607 · Wilson JTL et al. Improving the assessment of outcomes in stroke: use of a structured interview to assign grades on the modified Rankin Scale. Stroke 2002 · Bruno A et al. Improving modified Rankin Scale assessment with a simplified questionnaire. Stroke 2010
Frequently asked questions
What does each mRS score mean?
0 no symptoms; 1 symptoms but no significant disability; 2 slight disability (cannot do everything as before but independent); 3 moderate disability (needs some help, walks unaided); 4 moderately severe (cannot walk or attend to bodily needs without help); 5 severe (bedridden, constant care); 6 dead.
What is a good mRS outcome?
Stroke trials usually call mRS 0–2 a good or independent outcome, and some use 0–1 as an excellent outcome. The whole 0–6 distribution is often analysed as well.
Does using a cane mean mRS 4?
No. mRS 4 means needing another person to walk. Someone who walks independently with a cane or walker can be mRS 3 or better depending on the other questions.
Can the mRS be done by phone?
Yes. Structured questionnaires were designed so the mRS can be assessed reliably by telephone or with a caregiver, which is how many trials collect the 90-day outcome.
Related calculators
Clinical decision tool for education and for use by trained clinicians alongside clinical judgement — not a diagnosis and not a substitute for medical assessment. Scores and cut-offs come from the cited validation studies and may not apply to every patient; follow local protocols.