title: Reproducibility of measurements of thumb abduction.
abstract: The reproducibilities of various measurements of thumb abduction were compared. Two independent observers measured the thumb abduction in 30 volunteers by the following four methods: distance between the thumb tip and the flexion crease of the index finger proximal interphalangeal joint; distance between the flexion crease of the thumb interphalangeal joint and the proximal palmar crease; angle between the thumb and index metacarpals; and angle between the thumb and index proximal phalanx. Measurements were repeated in three weeks and their reproducibility was assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Intra-observer reproducibilities by distances were high with ICCs between 0.74 and 0.89, compared with those by angles with ICCs between 0.28 and 0.71. Inter-observer reproducibilities by distances were also high (ICCs = 0.79 and 0.81) compared with those by angles (ICCs = 0.28 and 0.42). Assessment of thumb abduction based on distance in the first web is recommended in terms of reproducibility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
authors.forename: Shozo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: Toshiki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oka
authors.forename: Takumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Kozo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005384:Finger Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013933:Thumb / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult