Methods to improve the reliability of the functional reach test in children and adolescents with typical development.
OBJECTIVE
Test-retest reliability of the Functional Reach Test was examined in children with typical development by comparing standard and alternate methods.


METHODS
Eighty subjects ages seven to 16 years were tested and 69 retested for four methods of Functional Reach Test (ie, one-arm finger-to-finger, two-arm finger-to-finger, one-arm toe-to-finger, and two-arm toe-to-finger). Intraclass correlation coefficients and limits of agreement were calculated.


RESULTS
Intraclass correlation coefficients were high in toe-to-finger measurement methods (0.97-0.98) for the entire group and specific age groups (00.83-0.93). Toe-to-finger methods were more reliable than finger-to-finger methods. The two-arm toe-to-finger method had the best limits of agreement with approximately +/-5 cm indicated by the 95% confidence interval.


CONCLUSIONS
Test-retest reliability using a toe-to-finger method of measuring is stronger than previously reported when using traditional methods. Limits of agreement analyses imply a change of 5 cm or more is likely to represent a true clinical difference when using the two-arm toe-to-finger method.
Volkman
Kathleen Gerri
KG
Munroe-Meyer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5450, USA. kvolkman@unmc.edu
Stergiou
Nicholas
N
Stuberg
Wayne
W
Blanke
Daniel
D
Stoner
Julie
J
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results