title: Goniometric evaluation of the spinal sagittal curves in children and adolescents: A reliability study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gold standard for spine deformities assessment is X rays, but the procedure bears a risk of exposure.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of a pocket compass needle goniometer (IncliMed®, University of Padua) to non-invasively evaluate spine curves in children and adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective reliability study in a paediatric population (mean age 12.5 years ± 2.5). Children with spine deformities (Scheuermann's or postural kyphosis, idiopathic scoliosis) and healthy controls were included. Two physician measured spinal curves with the surface goniometer IncliMed® within a temporal range of 10 minutes. Participants were re-tested after a mean of 28 days for the intra-rater study. Agreement limit and coefficient of repeatability were calculated according to the linear regression analysis; the Bland and Altman method was applied to obtain average of differences and standard error of the mean of the differences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and thirty-nine subjects participated to the inter-rater reliability assessment; 30 to the intra-rater reliability assessment. Inter-observer variability for IncliMed® measurements was ± 11° both for kyphosis and for lordosis. The intra-observer variability for kyphosis and lordosis measurements was ± 11° and ± 12°.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IncliMed® is a reliable, non-invasive tool to screen and monitor spinal curves in paediatric populations.
authors.forename: Aristide
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gravina
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferraro
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Poli
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barazzuol
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Felice
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masiero
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D010808:Physical Examination; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055906:Seveso Accidental Release; D013131:Spine / Q000002:abnormalities*
keywords: Compass goniometer; growth; inter-rater reliability; intra-rater reliability; scoliosis; spine deformities