Validity and reliability of assessment tools for measuring unsupported sitting in people with a spinal cord injury.
OBJECTIVE
To develop simple tests to assess the abilities of people with spinal cord injury (SCI) to sit unsupported and to assess the construct validity and test-retest reliability of these tests.


METHODS
Cross-sectional comparisons, convenience sample.


METHODS
Biomechanical laboratory.


METHODS
People (N=30) with SCI between the C6 and the L2 level of 2 months to 37 years duration before assessment. The sample was stratified by impairment level (at T8) and time since injury (1 y postinjury).


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
On 2 separate occasions, participants performed tests that measured the distance of upper-body sway and maximal torso leaning, errors made during a coordinated stability task, timed dressing/undressing of the upper body and alternating arm reaching, and percentage change in seated upper body/arm reaching.


RESULTS
All tests showed good construct validity in that they distinguished between participants with higher (C6-T7) and lower (T8-L2) level impairments (P<.05) and between participants with acute (< or =1 y) and chronic (>1 y) lesions (P<.05). The tests also showed good to excellent test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coeffiecient(3,1) range, .51-.91).


CONCLUSIONS
These simple and quick-to-administer tests have both construct validity and test-retest reliability. They would be appropriate for research and clinical purposes to quantify the abilities of people with SCI to sit unsupported.
Boswell-Ruys
Claire L
CL
Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, University of New South Wales, Randwick, Australia. c.boswell-ruys@powmri.edu.au
Sturnieks
Daina L
DL
Harvey
Lisa A
LA
Sherrington
Catherine
C
Middleton
James W
JW
Lord
Stephen R
SR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D004856:Postural Balance; D011187:Posture; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D055815:Young Adult