Evaluation of the reliability of a new non-invasive method for assessing the functionality and mobility of the spine.
For the evaluation of the functionality and mobility of the spine, several methods have been developed. The purpose of this study was to estimate the test-retest reliability of the Spinal Mouse, a new, non-invasive, computer-assisted wireless telemetry device for the assessment of the curvatures, the mobility and the functionality of the spine.


METHODS
the test-retest reliability was evaluated in 50 adults with back or low back pain. Twenty four parameters were studied in the sagittal and frontal plane. For the characterization of the precision, the intraclass correlation coefficient and the standard error of measurement were used.


RESULTS
in the sagittal plane, 22 of the 24 parameters showed high and good reliability, while only two fair and poor. In the frontal plane, 17 parameters showed high and good reliability, five fair and two poor.


CONCLUSIONS
the Spinal Mouse showed excellent test-retest reliability in the sagittal plane, while a slightly inferior performance in the frontal plane, for the evaluation of curvatures, deformation and mobility of the spine.
University of Crete - Faculty of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Hospital of Heraklion. Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation.
Anastasia
A
Topalidou
University of Crete - Faculty of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Hospital of Heraklion.
George
G
Tzagarakis
Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
Xenia
X
Souvatzis
University of Crete - Faculty of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Hospital of Heraklion.
George
G
Kontakis
University of Crete - Faculty of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Hospital of Heraklion.
Pavlos
P
Katonis
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013131:Spine / Q000502:physiology*; D013686:Telemetry / Q000379:methods*