Measurement properties of performance-based outcome measures to assess physical function in young and middle-aged people known to be at high risk of hip and/or knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review.
OBJECTIVE
To systematically appraise the evidence on measurement properties of performance-based outcome measures to assess physical function in young and middle-aged people known to be at high risk of hip and/or knee osteoarthritis (OA).


METHODS
Electronic searches were performed in MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus and SPORTDiscus in May 2013. Two reviewers independently rated the measurement properties using the 4-point COSMIN checklist. Best evidence synthesis was made using COSMIN quality, consistency and direction of findings and sample size.


RESULTS
Twenty of 2736 papers were eligible for inclusion and 24 different performance-based outcome measures knee or obese populations were evaluated. No tests related to hip populations were included. Twenty-five measurement properties including reliability (nine studies), construct validity (hypothesis testing) (nine studies), measurement error (three studies), structural validity (two studies), interpretability (one study) and responsiveness (one study) were evaluated. A positive rating was given to 12.5% (30/240) of all possible measurement ratings. Tests were grouped into two categories based on the population characteristics. The one-legged hop for distance, followed by the 6-m timed hop and cross over hop for distance were the best-rated tests for the knee-injured population. Whereas the 6-min walk test was the only included test for the obese population.


CONCLUSIONS
This review highlights the many gaps in knowledge about the measurement properties of performance-based outcome measures for young and middle-aged people known to be at high risk of hip and/or knee OA. There is a need for consensus on which outcome measures should be used and/or combined when assessing physical function in this population. Further good quality research is required.
Institute of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, The University of Southern Denmark, Denmark. Electronic address: Sarah_kroman@hotmail.com.
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Kroman
Institute of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, The University of Southern Denmark, Denmark. Electronic address: eroos@health.sdu.dk.
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Roos
Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine, Department of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: k.bennell@unimelb.edu.au.
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Bennell
Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine, Department of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: ranash@unimelb.edu.au.
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Hinman
Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine, Department of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: fdobson@unimelb.edu.au.
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Dobson
D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D015207:Osteoarthritis, Hip / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods
Knee-injury; Measurement properties; Obesity; Performance-based outcome measures; Physical function; Systematic review