• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.22-28
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• 2016

Objective: The Back Mapper is one type of Rasterstereography and it can be used in the clinic without radiation exposure. The purpose of our study was to prove the reliability and validity of the Back Mapper and to compare it with the Spinal Mouse, which is an assessment tool for spinal curvatures using a wheeled mouse, and the Cobb angle by X-ray. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Twenty healthy adults participated in the test to investigate for the inter-rater reliability, intra-rater reliability, and concurrent validity. The tests were performed with assessment devices for scoliosis such as the Back Mapper, Spinal Mouse and Cobb's angle. Data was analyzed by an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) value and a standard error of measurement for reliability and correlation analysis for validity. Results: Intra-rater reliability of the Back Mapper was good (Cronbach's ${\alpha}$=0.821-0.984, ICC=0.696-0.969) except for assessing the lordotic angle. Inter-rater reliability was good (Cronbach's ${\alpha}$=0.870-0.958, ICC=0.770-0.919) in assessment for trunk imbalance, rotation of scapulae, thoracic angle, lumbar angle, and kyphotic angle. The kyphotic angle in the Spinal Mouse had a significant correlation icompared with the Back Mapper (r=0.510, p<0.05), and the Cobb's angle from an X-ray had a significant correlation with trunk inclination (r=0.532, p<0.05). Conclusions: These findings provide good intra-reliability of the Back Mapper in healthy subjects, but the Back Mapper requires more experienced practice to have good inter-reliability. Also, the variables of the Back Mapper does not seem as appropriate compared with the Cobb angle by X-ray.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.62-68
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• 2010

The purposes of this study were to examine inter-rater reliability of the Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) by children's age and to identify the correlation between the MACS and the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Twenty-six children with CP older than two years participated. Children with CP were classified according to the MACS and the GMFCS by two physical therapists. Inter-rater reliability was analyzed using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICCs). The results showed that the reliability of the MACS for children aged 2~3 years was .88 and for children aged above 4 years was .98 (p<.05). Children with quadriplegia had a higher level of MACS than children with spastic hemiplegia and diplegia. A moderate relationship between the MACS and the GMFCS was found in all children (rater 1, r=.631; rater 2, r=.438). The MACS will be used for classification of children with CP according to the manual abilities. Thus, it offers a reliable method for communicating between therapists about the manual ability of children with CP who are older than 2 years.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2021

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to conduct inter-rater and intra-rater reliability tests in patients with low back pain (LBP) using the prone instability test (PIT) and side-lying instability test (SIT). We have analyzed the Korean version Oswestry disability index (K-ODI) correlations and radiograph finding (RF) for validity. METHODS: Individuals (n = 51) (mean age of 40.27 ± 13.28) with LBP for at least over a week were recruited, together with two participating physical therapist examiners. The measurement consisted of PIT, PST, K-ODI, and RF. Sensitivity (Sn), specificity (Sp), positive predictive value, negative predictive value, prevalence index, agreement %, Cohen's kappa, and prevalence-adjusted bias-adjusted kappa (PABAK) were calculated. The PIT and SIT were compared with RF for validity analysis, while PIT, SIT, K-ODI, and RF were calculated for the correlation analysis. RESULTS: The intra-rater reliability test measured for the PIT (kappa = .79, PABAK = .88) and SIT (kappa = .73, PABAK = .84), and inter-rater reliability test measured for the SIT (kappa = .80, PABAK = .88) showed good agreements. The PIT (Sn = .65, Sp = .63) and SIT validities (Sn = .68, Sp = .70) were compared with RF, showing a significant correlation in PIT and RF (r = .69), SIT and RF (r = .73), and PIT and K-ODI (r = .53). CONCLUSION: The SIT is a more comfortable position test than the PIT in patients. Both PIT and SIT have acceptable reliability and validity.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.76-83
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• 2019

Background: The hyoid bone is the only non-jointed structure among the skeletal tissues of the head and neck region, and its movement and posture depend on the attached muscle, ligament, and fascia. The location of the hyoid bone is important for airway maintenance, vocalization, chewing, swallowing, breathing, and head and scapular position. In general, the location of the hyoid bone is measured using radiographs and 3D computed tomography, and no studies have reported on clinical measurement methods. Objects: This study was performed to suggest clinical measurement methods for lateral deviation of the hyoid bone and to evaluate their reliability. Methods: In this study, 24 healthy volunteers (12 males, 12 females) in Cheongju-si participated. Two examiners performed the center point test and lateral motion test twice each to measure the lateral displacement of the hyoid bone. The reliability of the center point test was analyzed using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC), and the reliability of the lateral motion test was analyzed using Cohen's kappa coefficient. Results: The intra-rater reliability of the center point test was good, and the inter-rater reliability was moderate. The intra- and inter-rater reliability of the lateral motion test showed substantial reliability. Conclusion: Based on these results, the center point test and the lateral motion test can be used as an alternative methods of the measurement of lateral deviation of the hyoid bone for people who have musculoskeletal disorders of the head, neck, and scapula.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.29-36
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• 2007

Muscle tone (stiffness/hardness) or muscle compliance changes during muscle contraction. The purposes of this study were to assess the intrarater and interrater reliabilities of the Myotonometer$^{(R)}$, electronic device that quantifies muscle tone. Two raters used the Myotonometer to assess the right bicep brachia and quadriceps muscles of 30 voluntary persons without any orthopedic or neurological problems (age range, 18~21 yrs). Muscles were measured in a relaxed state and during brief sustained voluntary maximal isometric contraction. Intrarater correlation coefficients were calculated for each muscle and for each condition (relaxed and contracted). Intrarater reliabilities (intraclass correlation coefficients, ICCs) ranged from .778 to .954, relaxed, biceps brachia), .926 to .963 (contracted, biceps brachia), .935 to .990 (relaxed, quadriceps) and .679 to .952(contracted, quadriceps). Interrater reliabilities ranged from .652 to .790 (relaxed, biceps brachii), .813 to .907 (contracted, biceps brachii), .831 to .950 (relaxed, quadriceps) and .849 to .937 (contracted, quadriceps). Myotonometer measurements had high to very high intrarater and interrater reliability for measurements of the biceps brachia and quadriceps muscles.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.488-492
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• 2022

Objective: The purpose of this study is to find out the reliability and validity of the newly updated Balancia 2.5 program using Wii balance board through equipment that can measure center of pressure data with the precision. Design: Cross-sectional study Methods: Twenty-seven healthy adults participated in the study. The subjects were assessed for static balance ability by Accusway, and were assessed for static balance ability on Wii balance board connected to theBalancia 2.5 program.To limit postural fluctuations due to stare, the subjects were asked to look at a 15 cm dot drawn 3 m in front of them for 30 seconds with their eyes open. Static balance ability data such as path length and sway velocity were extracted from all measurement tools.Intra-rater and inter-rater reliability and validity were extracted through intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: The intra-rater reliability that the same rater shows consistent results through test-retest was a high level at ICC=0.968 (0.926~0.986), and inter-rater reliability that the requires consistent results even when measured by different raters was a high level at ICC=0.943 (0.870~0.975). The validity was a high level at ICC=0.948 (0.881~0.977), which shows whether the measurement tool is properly measuring what it is intended to measure. Conclusions: The Balancia 2.5 program, newly updated through this study, proved to be a program with high reliability and validity in evaluating static balance ability like the existingBalancia 2.0 program.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.60-67
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• 2011

Ultrasonography (US) is a recent technique that has proven to be useful for assessing muscle thickness and guiding the rehabilitation decision-making of clinicians and researchers. The purpose of this study was to determine the inter-rater reliability of the US measurement of transversus abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) thicknesses for different probe locations and measurement techniques. Twenty healthy volunteers were recruited in this study. Muscle thicknesses of the transversus TrA, IO, and EO were measured three times in the hook-lying position. The three different probe locations were as follows: 1) Probe location 1 (PL1) was below the rib cage in direct vertical alignment with the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS). 2) Probe location 2 (PL2) was halfway between the ASIS and the ribcage along the mid-axillary line. 3) Probe location 3 (PL3) was halfway between the iliac crest and the inferior angle of the rib cage, with adjustment to ensure the medial edge of the TrA. The two different techniques of thickness measurement from the captured images were as follows: 1) Muscle thickness was measured in the middle of the muscle belly, which was centered within the captured image (technique A; TA). 2) Muscle thickness was measured along a horizontal reference line located 2 cm apart from the medial edge of the TrA in the captured image (technique B; TB). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC [3,k]) was used to calculate the inter-rater reliability of the thickness measurement of TrA, IO and EO using the values from both the first and second examiner. In all three muscles, moderate to excellent reliability was found for all conditions (probe locations and measurement techniques) (ICC=.70~.97). In the PL1-TA condition, inter-rater reliability in the three muscle thicknesses was good to excellent (ICC=.85~.96). The reliability of all measurement conditions was excellent in IO (ICC=.95~.97). Therefore, the findings of this study suggest that TA can be applied to PL1 by clinicians and researchers in order to measure the thickness of abdominal muscles.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.1201-1216
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• 2017

In this study, we described the development of a methodology to measure tip-pinch strength on the paretic hand rehabilitation device and aimed to investigate reliability of the device. FSR sensors were embedded on the device, and tip pinch strength was estimated with data collected from the sensors using a developed equation while participants were demonstrating tip pinch. Reliability tests included inter-rater, test-retest, and inter-instrument reliability. B&L Engineering pinch gauge was utilized for the comparison. Thirty-seven healthy students participated in the experiment. Both inter-rater and test-retest reliability were excellent as Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICCs) were greater than 0.9 (p<0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in tip-pinch strengths. Inter-instrument reliability analysis confirmed good correlation between the two instruments (r = 0.88, p < 0.01). The findings of this study suggest that the two instruments are not interchangeable. However, the tip-pinch mechanism used in the paretic hand rehabilitation device is reliable that can be used to evaluate tip pinch strength in clinical environment and can provides a parameter that monitors changes in the hand functions.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.57-64
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• 2010

Purpose: This study aimed to determine whether there are differences in subtalar joint range of motion (ROM) when using different measurement methods, and to determine inter- and intra-rater reliability of goniometry as used in clinical setting. Methods: Subjects were thirty-one healthy males and females (sixty-two ankles) living in Korea. Three raters with different clinical experiences measured inversion and eversion range of motion of the subtalar joint two times. Measurements were done with subjects prone (open kinetic chain) and standing (closed kinetic chain). Rater and measurement methods were based on analyzing differences in range of motion. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to determine intra-rater and inter-rater reliability. Results: Mean subtalar jont range of motion for inversion ranged from $9.31^{\circ}$ to $11.94^{\circ}$ for eversion, it ranged from $6.73^{\circ}$ to $9.20^{\circ}$. The differences in ROM between raters and between measurement methods were significant (p<0.01). The ICCs for interrater reliability ranged from $0.02^{\circ}$ to $0.20^{\circ}$ for inversion and from $0.23^{\circ}$ to $0.39^{\circ}$ for eversion. Intrarater reliability ranged from $0.32^{\circ}$ to $0.78^{\circ}$ for inversion and from $0.45^{\circ}$ to $0.73^{\circ}$ for eversion. Conclusion: Subtalar joint inversion and eversion ROM show differences for measurement methods low reliability between different raters, and low to high intra-rater reliability within sessions.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.51-58
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• 1999

In general, sitting balance is decreased in subjects with spinal cord injury. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the inter- and intra-rater reliability of the Functional Reach Test (FRT) which is used to measure sitting balance. The subjects of this study were 26 persons with spinal cord injury, and they were divided into three groups according to their injury level. Group I, II and III consisted of the following $C_5{\sim}C_8$ quadriplegics, $T_1{\sim}T_4$, and $T_9{\sim}T_12$ paraplegics, respectively. Subjects sat on a mat table that was set at an 80 degree inclination. During three sessions, the length subjects could reach in the FRT test was measured by three physical therapists, and compared to each other. The results showed that intraclass correlation coefficients (2,1) were above 0.97 and inter-rater difference was not statistically significant. The one-way ANOVA demonstrated that reach differed between groups with lower thoracic lesion and the other test groups. In conclusion, we think modified FRT is useful and reliable method to measure the sitting balance in subjects with spinal cord injury.