title: Intertester reliability and concurrent validity of fluid-based and universal goniometers for active knee flexion.
abstract: This study was designed 1) to determine the intertester reliability of the universal goniometer and the fluid-based goniometer and 2) to establish the concurrent validity of the fluid-based goniometer. Two testers measured active knee flexion of 20 healthy subjects (15 women, 5 men) using both instruments. The subjects had a mean age of 24.8 years (s = 5.5) and reported no previous history of pathological conditions of the right lower extremity. Using a correlational design, high intertester reliability was established for each instrument (universal goniometer, r = .87; fluid-based goniometer, r = .83). The concurrent validity of the fluid-based goniometer was also good for both testers (tester A, r = .83; tester B, r = .82). When the data were subjected to t tests, significant differences were found between the instruments for each tester (p less than .05). The results suggest that similar measurements will be obtained between therapists using the universal and fluid-based goniometers; however, the two instruments cannot be used interchangeably in the clinic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Health Sciences, Chicago Medical School, IL 60064.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rheault
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nothnagel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Straessle
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Urban
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement; D009983:Orthopedic Equipment / Q000592:standards*