Inter- and intrarater reliability of a back range of motion instrument.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the interrater and intrarater reliability of a back range of motion (BROM) instrument when measuring lumbar spine active planar motions and pelvic inclination.


METHODS
Single-group repeated measures for inter- and intrarater reliability.


METHODS
Academic institution.


METHODS
Ninety-one participants (61 women, 30 men; mean age, 28 y) without a current complaint of low back pain volunteered.


METHODS
Two examiners measured pelvic inclination and all lumbar motions by using the BROM device. Subjects alternated between examiners for 4 complete trials; examiners remained blinded to the measurements.


METHODS
Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to determine intrarater and interrater reliability. Regression analysis was performed to determine the role palpation played in sagittal plane measurement error.


RESULTS
Intrarater reliability for side bending was good (ICC range, .85-.83), lumbar forward flexion and pelvic inclination was good to fair (ICC range, .84-.79), and extension and rotation was fair to poor (ICC range, .76-.58). Interrater reliability was fair to poor for all lumbar motions and for pelvic inclination (ICC range, .79-.55). Less than 2% of the variation in sagittal plane measurements was explained by consistency of palpation for device placement.


CONCLUSIONS
The BROM provides a reliable means of measuring lumbar forward flexion, side bending, and pelvic inclination when performed by the same examiner in asymptomatic subjects.
Kachingwe
Aimie F
AF
Department of Physical Therapy, California State University, Northridge, CA 91330-8411, USA. aimie.kachingwe@csun.edu
Phillips
Beth J
BJ
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016037:Single-Blind Method