Inter-Rater Reliability of Quantitative Knee Tendon Reflex Test for Healthy Subjects

정상 성인에 대한 정량적 무릎힘줄반사 검사의 측정자간 신뢰도

The purpose of this study was to evaluate inter-rater reliability of the amplitude and first knee extension angles in deep tendon reflex test by using an electrical hammer. Twenty-five healthy adults participated in the study. Compound muscle action potential is elicited by tapping the knee tendon with an electrical hammer in deep tendon reflex tests. The amplitude and knee extension angle were simultaneously measured. The mean value of the amplitude and the knee extension angles through three time trials for each tester, are used for determining the inter-rater and Intra-class Correlation Coefficients (ICCs) reliabilities. According to the results, the ICCs of the amplitude is .280 and that of the knee extension angle is .789. Pearson correlation coefficients of the amplitude of the action potential and the knee extension angles are .685, showing significant statistically moderate correlation. Inter-rater reliability in the amplitude was not significant. More objective and quantitative deep tendon reflex tests should be done to obtain higher reliability in further studies.