Intra and inter-rater reliability of a goniometric lower trunk rotation measurement.
OBJECTIVE
Limited lower trunk rotation, which includes rotation of the lumbar spine, may hinder or even prevent functional activities. Currently, due to the lack of reliable, valid, and clinically useful tests, there is no standard objective measure of lower trunk rotation that can be easily performed in the clinic. The purpose of this study was to establish a standard protocol and to determine inter-rater and intra-rater reliability for a goniometric measurement developed to measure lower trunk rotation.


METHODS
Lower trunk rotation was measured using a specific, goniometric method in 41 subjects. Each subject was measured 6 times by 2 different examiners for a total of 12 measurements.


RESULTS
Pearson correlation coefficients indicate good intra-rater reliability ranging from 0.59 to 0.82 for right rotation (P< 0.001) and 0.76 to 0.82 for left rotation (P< 0.001), as well as good inter-rater reliability ranging from 0.62 to 0.83 with right rotation (P< 0.001) and 0.75 to 0.77 for left rotation (P< 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
This measure of trunk rotation may be useful for objectively documenting lower trunk rotation.
Olson
Kenneth A
KA
Northern Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Associates, DeKalb, IL 60115, USA.
Goehring
Meri T
MT
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D053587:Arthrometry, Articular / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D018583:Pliability / Q000502:physiology; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012399:Rotation; D055815:Young Adult