title: Reliability of kinematic parameters during unilateral upper limb reaching tasks using a portable motion tracking system.
abstract: The reliability of a portable computer based system (Motor Task Manager; MTM) used for the assessment of motor dysfunction needs to be assessed before being used clinically. Nine healthy males, aged 24-55 years (mean = 31.4, SD +/- 9.84) performed three unilateral MTM-prescribed reaching task paradigms. Tasks were completed three times in random order during three separate testing sessions. Speed characteristics showed excellent (Intra-class correlation coefficient; ICC 0.78-0.92) and inter-session (ICC 0.86-0.92) reliability for all three tasks. Temporal parameters had fair to good reliability in the first session (ICC 0.42-0.78) which improved in sessions 2 and 3 (ICC 0.64-0.96). Inter-session reliability for temporal characteristics was better for movement time (ICC 0.57-0.84) than onset time (ICC 0.14-0.53). Spatial characteristics demonstrated poor intra- (ICC -0.09-0.63) and inter-sessions (ICC 0.15-0.61) reliability. Speed characteristics were the most robust results for the healthy population studied and recommended for measuring performance, particularly if only one test session is possible.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton, UK. m.warner@southampton.ac.uk
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Warner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Novellino
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stokes
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Astill
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maccione
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001132:Arm / Q000502:physiology*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis