title: Reliability and concurrent validity of postural asymmetry measurement in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the reliability and concurrent validity of the Baseline®Body Level/Scoliosis meter for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis postural assessment in three anatomical planes.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is an observational reliability and concurrent validity study of adolescent referrals to the Orthopaedic department for scoliosis screening at Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden between March-May 2012. A total of 31 adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis (13.6 ± 0.6 years old) of mild-moderate curvatures (25° ± 12°) were consecutively recruited. Measurement of cervical, thoracic and lumbar curvatures, pelvic and shoulder tilt, and axial thoracic rotation (ATR) were performed by two trained physiotherapists in one day. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to determine the inter-examiner reliability (ICC2,1) and the intra-rater reliability (ICC3,3) of the Baseline®Body Level/Scoliosis meter. Spearman's correlation analyses were used to estimate concurrent validity between the Baseline®Body Level/Scoliosis meter and Gold Standard Cobb angles from radiographs and the Orthopaedic Systems Inc. Scoliometer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was excellent reliability between examiners for thoracic kyphosis (ICC2,1 = 0.94), ATR (ICC2,1 = 0.92) and lumbar lordosis (ICC2,1 = 0.79). There was adequate reliability between examiners for cervical lordosis (ICC2,1 = 0.51), however poor reliability for pelvic and shoulder tilt. Both devices were reproducible in the measurement of ATR when repeated by one examiner (ICC3,3 0.98-1.00). The device had a good correlation with the Scoliometer (rho = 0.78). When compared with Cobb angle from radiographs, there was a moderate correlation for ATR (rho = 0.627).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Baseline®Body Level/Scoliosis meter provides reliable transverse and sagittal cervical, thoracic and lumbar measurements and valid transverse plan measurements of mild-moderate scoliosis deformity.
authors.affiliation: Ashleigh Prowse, James Furness, Allan Abbott, Faculty of Health Science and Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4229, Australia.
authors.forename: Ashleigh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prowse
authors.affiliation: Ashleigh Prowse, James Furness, Allan Abbott, Faculty of Health Science and Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4229, Australia.
authors.forename: Berit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aslaksen
authors.affiliation: Ashleigh Prowse, James Furness, Allan Abbott, Faculty of Health Science and Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4229, Australia.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kierkegaard
authors.affiliation: Ashleigh Prowse, James Furness, Allan Abbott, Faculty of Health Science and Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4229, Australia.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Furness
authors.affiliation: Ashleigh Prowse, James Furness, Allan Abbott, Faculty of Health Science and Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4229, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gerdhem
authors.affiliation: Ashleigh Prowse, James Furness, Allan Abbott, Faculty of Health Science and Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4229, Australia.
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abbott
keywords: Assessment; Posture; Reliability; Scoliosis; Validity