title: Intratest reliability in determining the subtalar joint axis using the palpation technique described by K. Kirby.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Exact determination and classification of the spatial position of the subtalar joint axis could be a predictive clinical variable in biomechanical analysis and a valuable tool in the design of functional foot orthoses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three clinicians with different levels of experience determined and classified the subtalar joint axis location, three times, on 52 individuals, using the clinical palpation, allocation and interpretation technique, as described by K. Kirby.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High intratester precision (ICC 0.72 to 0.93) was found for determining the axis location (SEM, 3.72° for angle/0.27 cm for X-axis); however, classification of the spatial position of the axis has large intertester variation (κ = 0.243 to 0.494)
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical palpation technique itself is reliable; the consistent attribution of a classification, in other words, interpretation, is weak.
authors.affiliation: Department of Podiatry, Artevelde University College, Ghent, Belgium. joris.deschepper@arteveldehs.be
authors.forename: Joris
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Schepper
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Van Alsenoy
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rijckaert
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Mits
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lootens
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roosen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D010173:Palpation / Q000379:methods*; D011897:Random Allocation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013380:Subtalar Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology*