Reliability and agreement of 5 Ergo-Kit functional capacity evaluation lifting tests in subjects with low back pain.
OBJECTIVE
To assess interrater reliability and agreement of 5 Ergo-Kit functional capacity evaluation lifting tests in subjects with low back pain (LBP).


METHODS
Within-subjects design, with 2 repeated measurements.


METHODS
Academic medical center in The Netherlands.


METHODS
Twenty-four subjects (10 men, 14 women) with LBP.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
Five Ergo-Kit lifting tests (2 isometric, 3 dynamic) were assessed on 2 occasions (t1, t2), by 2 different raters (R1, R2). The interval between the test sessions was 3 days. Interrater reliability level was expressed with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and the level of agreement between raters with the standard error (SE) of measurement.


RESULTS
ICCs means (reliability) of isometric and dynamic Ergo-Kit lifting tests ranged from .94 to .97, and SE of measurement values (agreement) ranged from 1.9 to 8.6 kg.


CONCLUSIONS
There was good reliability and agreement between raters of the isometric and dynamic Ergo-Kit lifting tests in subjects with LBP, which supports the use of these tests to assess functional lifting capacity.
Gouttebarge
Vincent
V
Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Academic Medical Center, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. v.gouttebarge@amc.uva.nl
Wind
Haije
H
Kuijer
P Paul
PP
Sluiter
Judith K
JK
Frings-Dresen
Monique H
MH
D000328:Adult; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D017770:Lifting; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results