title: Repeatability, consistency, and accuracy of hand-held dynamometry with and without fixation for measuring ankle plantarflexion strength in healthy adolescents and adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hand-held dynamometry (HHD) is commonly used to measure ankle plantarflexion strength but has variable reliability measuring higher forces. Fixed HHD is suggested to improve reliability. We, therefore, compared the reliability, consistency, and accuracy of measuring plantarflexion strength.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plantarflexion strength was measured in 25 healthy individuals with fixed HHD and HHD alone. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC2,2), SEM, minimal detectable change, and Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated to assess inter-trial repeatability, consistency, agreement, and accuracy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both methods were repeatable (ICC2,20.96 to 0.98) and highly correlated (Spearman rho = 0.815; P < 0.01). Fixed HHD produced significantly higher force outputs. HHD alone provided more consistent force values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both methods of measuring ankle plantarflexion force were reliable. Force measured with fixed HHD will likely be more accurate for adults and individuals with greater strength, while HHD alone will be more consistent for individuals with lower strength. Muscle Nerve 56: 896-900, 2017.
authors.affiliation: Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Phillip R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Marnee J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: McKay
authors.affiliation: Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Jennifer N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Baldwin
authors.affiliation: Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Australia.|Paediatric Gait Analysis Service of New South Wales, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Foundation, Carlo Besta Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pareyson
authors.affiliation: Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Australia.|Paediatric Gait Analysis Service of New South Wales, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Kristy J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Rose
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000842:Ankle / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D053581:Muscle Strength Dynamometer; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease; hand-held dynamometry; neuromuscular disorders; plantarflexion; reliability