title: Passive range of movement of the shoulder: a standardized method for measurement and assessment of intrarater reliability.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine the intrarater reliability and reproducibility of a standardized procedure for measuring passive shoulder movement in asymptomatic individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  A single assessor used a digital inclinometer and standardized protocol to measure the passive range of motion of 7 shoulder movements in 168 asymptomatic shoulders. Following a warm-up maneuver, 3 measurements were taken for each movement on 2 occasions. Both shoulders were measured using a standardized order of movement. Selection of measurement beginning with left or right shoulder was randomly determined. The entire process was repeated 7 days later to assess reproducibility. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) with 95% confidence intervals and standard errors of measurement (SEMs) were calculated to assess the intrarater reliability of the methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intrarater reliability of our methods was substantial for total shoulder flexion (ICC = 0.82, SEM = 12.3°), whereas all other movements demonstrated moderate reliability (ICC range = 0.64-0.75) except external rotation in neutral abduction, for which reliability was classed as slight (ICC = 0.28, SEM = 31°). Moderate reliability was evident for all movements on follow-up at 7 days (ICC range = 0.60-0.77).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These methods of measurement have moderate to substantial reliability for the majority of tested passive shoulder movements, with moderate reliability sustained after 1 week, in a large sample of asymptomatic individuals.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Physiotherapist, School of Health Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia.
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dougherty
authors.affiliation: Casual Academic, School of Health Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Walmsley
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia. Electronic address: Peter.Osmotherly@newcastle.edu.au.
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Osmotherly
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Articular; Range of Motion; Reproducibility of Results; Shoulder