title: Reliability and validity of the standing heel-rise test.
abstract: A standardized protocol for a pediatric heel-rise test was developed and reliability and validity are reported. Fifty-seven children developing typically (CDT) and 34 children with plantar flexion weakness performed three tests: unilateral heel rise, vertical jump, and force measurement using handheld dynamometry. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) varied from 0.85-0.99 for reliability analyses in both participant groups. Construct validity analysis revealed a significant difference between groups (F = 44.57, p < .05) and age-related differences among CDT; 5- to 8-year olds (mean = 15.2, SD = 5.4) performed fewer repetitions compared to 9- to 12-year olds (mean = 27.7, SD = 11.7) (p < .05). Age explained 41% of the variance in the number of heel-rise repetitions. Correlations between the three tests (r = 0.56 to 0.66) provide evidence of convergent validity. The results indicate that the standardized protocol is both reliable and valid for use in 5- to 12-year-old children with and without plantar flexion weakness.
authors.affiliation: Northwest Pediatric Therapies, Issaquah, Washington, USA. allisonyocum@msn.com
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yocum
authors.forename: Sarah Westcott
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: McCoy
authors.forename: Kristie F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Bjornson
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mullens
authors.forename: Gay Naganuma
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Burton
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000842:Ankle / Q000502:physiology; D000886:Anthropometry; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006365:Heel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D012015:Reference Standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012737:Sex Factors