Reliability and validity of electrogoniometry measurement of lower extremity movement.
OBJECTIVE
To establish the reliability, accuracy and concurrent validity of electrogoniometers for measuring extreme lower extremity movements.


METHODS
Reliability, accuracy and validity study.


METHODS
This project employed two experiments. Investigation I determined electrogoniometer accuracy compared to a digital protractor. Investigation II compared electrogoniometers to a criterion measure, motion analysis, in sagittal plane dance movements in 17 dancers. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and standard error of measurement (SEM) were calculated for hip, knee, and ankle sagittal plane angular displacements.


RESULTS
In Investigation I, electrogoniometer to protractor correlations were high (r > or = 0.998, SEM < or =3.65 degrees ). In Investigation II, instrument and intra-rater reliability correlations were high (r > or = 0.983 and r > or = 0.972, SEM < or = 3.49 degrees and < or =4.48 degrees ), as were concurrent validity correlations (r > or = 0.949, SEM < or =6.80 degrees ) to motion analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
This error may be acceptable for lower extremity studies with extreme movements when motion capture is unavailable.
Bronner
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Analysis of Dance and Movement Center, Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY, USA. sbronner@liu.edu
Agraharasamakulam
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Ojofeitimi
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D053587:Arthrometry, Articular / Q000379:methods*; D003615:Dancing / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007596:Joints / Q000502:physiology*; D007866:Leg / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D055815:Young Adult