Within-session inter-rater realiability of goniometric measures in patients with spastic cerebral palsy.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether appropriate inter-rater reliability of goniometric measurement could be achieved in children with cerebral palsy (CP) by a less-experienced and more-experienced therapist within the same session in a clinic setting.


METHODS
Twenty-five children with spastic CP underwent goniometric measurement of their right and/or left legs (46 legs).


METHODS
Two pediatric physical therapists, with 10 and one year of experience measured five lower-extremity motions within the same session. Standard positioning, stabilization, and bony landmarks were reviewed before the study.


RESULTS
Interclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.582 (hip extension) to 0.929 (popliteal angle).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data are in agreement with the literature on the reliability of range of motion measurements in children with CP. As a result, we were able to show that inter-rater goniometric reliability can be established between a less-experienced and more-experienced therapist within the same session.
McWhirk
Lauren Blair
LB
Physical Therapy Department, Children's Seashore House of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Glanzman
Allan M
AM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D053587:Arthrometry, Articular; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002983:Clinical Competence; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D015588:Observer Variation; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results