title: The concurrent validity and reliability of the Leg Motion system for measuring ankle dorsiflexion range of motion in older adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  New reliable devices for range of motion (ROM) measures in older adults are necessary to improve knowledge about the functional capability in this population. Dorsiflexion ROM limitation is associated with ankle injuries, foot pain, lower limb disorders, loss of balance, gait control disorders and fall risk in older adults. The aim of the present study was to assess the validity and reliability of the Leg Motion device for measuring ankle dorsiflexion ROM in older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adescriptive repeated-measures study was designed to test the reliability of Leg Motion in thirty-three healthy elderly patients older than 65 years. The subjects had to meet the following inclusion and exclusion criteria in their medical records: older than 65 years; no lower extremity injury for at least one year prior to evaluation (meniscopathy, or fractures) and any chronic injuries (e.g., osteoarthritis); no previous hip, knee or ankle surgery; no neuropathic alterations and no cognitive conditions (e.g., Alzheimer's disease or dementia). Participants were recruited through the person responsible for the physiotherapist area from a nursing center. The subjects were evaluated in two different sessions at the same time of day, and there was a break of two weeks between sessions. To test the validity of the Leg Motion system, the participants were measured in a weight-bearing lunge position using a classic goniometer with 1° increments, a smartphone with an inclinometer standard app (iPhone 5S®) with 1° increments and a measuring tape that could measure 0.1 cm. All testing was performed while the patients were barefoot. The researcher had ten years of experience as a physiotherapist using goniometer, tape measure and inclinometer devices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean values and standard deviations were as follows: Leg Motion (right 5.15 ± 3.08; left 5.19 ± 2.98), tape measure (right 5.12 ± 3.08; left 5.12 ± 2.80), goniometer (right 45.87° ± 4.98; left 44.50° ± 5.54) and inclinometer app (right 46.53° ± 4.79; left 45.27° ± 5.19). The pairedt-test showed no significant differences between the limbs or between the test and re-test values. The test re-test reliability results for Leg Motion were as follows: the standard error of the measurement ranged from 0.29 to 0.43 cm, the minimal detectable difference ranged from 0.79 to 1.19 cm, and the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) values ranged from 0.97 to 0.98.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study indicated that the Leg Motion device is a valid, reliable, accessible and portable tool as an alternative to the classic weight-bearing lunge test for measuring ankle dorsiflexion ROM in older adults.
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy & Health Science Research Group, Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Health, Exercise and Sport, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Romero Morales
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisioterapia, Centro Superior de Estudios Universitarios La Salle, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain.|Motion in Brains Research Group, Instituto de Neurociencias y Ciencias del Movimiento, Centro Superior de Estudios Universitarios La, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, MadridEspaña.
authors.forename: César
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Calvo Lobo
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy & Health Science Research Group, Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Health, Exercise and Sport, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rodríguez Sanz
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Podiatry, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sanz Corbalán
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy & Health Science Research Group, Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Health, Exercise and Sport, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ruiz Ruiz
authors.affiliation: Research, Health and Podiatry Unit, Department of Health Sciences. Faculty of Nursing and Podiatry, Universidade da Coruña, Ferrol, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: López López
keywords: Aged; Ankle dorsiflexion; Goniometer; Inclinometer; Weight-bearing lunge