title: Evaluation of validity and reliability of a methodology for measuring human postural attitude and its relation to temporomandibular joint disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJDs) are caused by several factors such as anatomical, neuromuscular and psychological alterations. A relationship has been established between TMJDs and postural alterations, a type of anatomical alteration. An anterior position of the head requires hyperactivity of the posterior neck region and shoulder muscles to prevent the head from falling forward. This compensatory muscular function may cause fatigue, discomfort and trigger point activation. To our knowledge, a method for assessing human postural attitude in more than one plane has not been reported. Thus, the aim of this study was to design a methodology to measure the external human postural attitude in frontal and sagittal planes, with proper validity and reliability analyses.
  
  
  METHODS
  The variable postures of 78 subjects (36 men, 42 women; age 18-24 years) were evaluated. The postural attitudes of the subjects were measured in the frontal and sagittal planes, using an acromiopelvimeter, grid panel and Fox plane.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The method we designed for measuring postural attitudes had adequate reliability and validity, both qualitatively and quantitatively, based on Cohen's Kappa coefficient (> 0.87) and Pearson's correlation coefficient (r = 0.824, > 80%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This method exhibits adequate metrical properties and can therefore be used in further research on the association of human body posture with skeletal types and TMJDs.
authors.affiliation: CICO Research Centre in Dental Sciences, Dental School, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fuentes Fernández
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic and Community Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: Héctor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Integral Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: Gonzalo Hernán
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Oporto Venegas
authors.affiliation: Department of Integral Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cantin
authors.affiliation: CICO Research Centre in Dental Sciences, Dental School, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: Nicolás Ernesto
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Ottone
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: posture; reliability; stomatognathic system; temporomandibular joint disorders; validity