• 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.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 2022

Background: The treatment approach for proximal humeral fractures is determined by various factors, including patient age, sex, dominant arm, fracture pattern, presence of osteoporosis, preexisting arthritis, rotator cuff status, and medical comorbidities. However, there is a lack of consensus in the literature regarding the optimal treatment for displaced proximal humeral fractures. This study aimed to assess and quantify the decision-making process for either conservative or surgical treatment and the choice of surgical method among shoulder surgeons when treating proximal humeral fractures. Methods: Forty sets of true anteroposterior view, scapular Y projection view, and three-dimensional computed tomography of proximal humeral fractures were provided to 12 shoulder surgeons along with clinical information. Surveys regarding Neer classification, decisions between conservative and surgical treatments, and chosen methods were conducted twice with an interval of 2 months. The factors affecting the treatment plans were also assessed. Results: The inter-rater agreement was fair for Neer classification (kappa=0.395), moderate for the decision between conservative and surgical treatments (kappa=0.528), and substantial for the chosen method of surgical treatment (kappa=0.740). The percentage of agreement was 71.1% for Neer classification, 84.6% for the decision between conservative and surgical treatment, and 96.4% for the chosen method of surgical treatment. The fracture pattern was the most crucial factor in deciding between conservative and surgical treatments, followed by age and physical activity. Conclusions: The decision between conservative and surgical treatment for proximal humeral fractures showed good agreement, while the chosen method between osteosynthesis and arthroplasty showed substantial agreement among shoulder surgeons.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.283-291
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze the method of measuring the angle of the trunk rotation using a smartphone with 3D smartphone holder compared to a scoliometer, which is a measuring tool used as a method for diagnosing scoliosis in scoliosis patients. Methods: Angle of trunk rotation was measured in 21 subjects diagnosed with scoliosis. scoliometer measurement method, a smartphone measurement method with a 3D smartphone holder, a smartphone blind measurement method with a 3D smartphone holder, a smartphone measurement method without a smartphone holder, a smartphone blind measurement method without a smartphone holder, and a total of five measurement methods were repeated three times for comparison and analysis. Results: The smartphone measurement method with a 3D smartphone holder has excellent intra-rater reliability of angle of trunk rotation (Rater A; ICC3, 2≥0.993, Rater B; ICC3, 2≥0.992). The smartphone blind measurement method with a 3D smartphone holder has excellent inter-rater reliability of angle of trunk rotation (ICC2, 2≥0.968). The scoliometer measurement method had the highest validity (r=0.976) with the smartphone measurement method with a 3D smartphone holder, and the blind measurement method without a smartphone holder had the lowest validity (r=0.886). Conclusion: These findings, the angle of trunk rotation measured by the smartphone measurement method with a 3D smartphone holder in scoliosis patients showed high reliability and validity compared to the scoliometer measurement method.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.454-463
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• 2022

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare concurrent validity and test-retest reliability based on Craniovertebral angle of 'Angles video goniometer', a smart phone application for convenient range of motion measurement, and 'Image J', an analysis software with high reliability and validity. This was conducted to find out whether 'Angle video goniometer' can be used clinically. Design: Cross-sectional study Methods: Fifty subjects were imaged laterally, and the angle of the head and spine was measured using Image J and the Angles video goniometer, respectively, in a resting posture and a chin in posture. The level of concurrent validity between the two measurement methods and the level of inter-rater reliability and intra-rater reliability were analyzed. Results: For forty participants, the concurrent validity between Image J and Angles video goniometer showed very high validity with ICC of 0.997(0.995~0.999) and 0.994(0.994~0.998), CVME% 0.71~0.72%, SEM% 0.31~0.34, MDC% 0.86~0.94. The test-retest intra-rater reliability showed very high reliability ICC 0.994(0.991~0.996), CVME% 0.71%, SEM% 0.31~0.43, MDC% 0.86~1.19%. The test-retest inter-rater showed very high reliability ICC 0.995(0.992~0.997), CVME% 0.71%, SEM% 0.43~0.59%, MDC% 1.20~1.62% Conclusions: Angles video goniometer', a smartphone application, is a device with very high reliability and validity for craniovertebral angle measurement in healthy adults, and it is a device that can be easily used in clinical practice.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.177-184
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the concurrent validity and test-retest reliability of 'KPIMT Torticollis Protractor', a smart phone and I-pad application for convenient range of motion measurement, and 'Image J', an analysis software with high reliability and validity, according to head tilt and active cervical rotation angle. This was done to determine the clinical utility of 'KPIMT Torticollis Protractor'. Methods: Head tilt and active cervical spine rotation angles of 40 children with congenital muscular torticollis were measured using Image J and KPIMT Torticollis Protractor, respectively. The level of concurrent validity and inter-rater and intra-rater reliability between the two measurement methods were analyzed. Results: For forty participants, the concurrent validity between Image J and KPIMT Torticollis Protractor showed very high validity with ICC of ICC 0.977 (0.995-0.999), 0.994 (0.994-0.998), CV_ME% 0.71-0.72%, SEM% 0.31-0.34%, MDC% 0.86-0.94%. The test-retest intra-rater reliability showed very high reliability ICC 0.911 (0.911-0.966), CV_ME% 0.71%, SEM% 0.34-0.36%, MDC% 0.81-0.94%. The test-retest inter-rater showed very high reliability ICC 0.936 (0.933-0.957), CV_ME% 0.70%, SEM% 0.34-0.35%, MDC% 0.81-0.83%. Conclusion: The KPIMT Torticollis Protractor, a smart phone and IPD application, is a highly reliable and valid device for angle measurement in children with congenital myotonia and can be easily used in clinical practice.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.160-181
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to understand raters' errors in rating performance assessments of science inquiry. For this, 60 middle school students performed scientific inquiry about sound propagation and 4 trained raters rated their activity sheets. Variance components estimation for the result of the generalizability analysis for the person, task, rater design, the variance components for rater, rater by person and rater by task are about 25%. Among 4 raters, 2 raters' severity is higher than the other two raters and their severities were stabilized. Four raters' rating agreed with each other in 51 cases among the 240 cases. Through the raters' conferences, the rater error types for 189 disagreed cases were identified as one of three types; different salience, severity, and overlooking. The error type 1, different salience, showed 38% of the disagreed cases. Salient task and salient assessment components are different among the raters. The error type 2, severity, showed 25% and the error type 3, overlooking showed 31%. The error type 2 seemed to have happened when the students responses were on the borders of two levels. Error type 3 seemed to have happened when raters overlooked some important part of students' responses because she or he immersed her or himself in one's own salience. To reduce the above rater errors, raters' conference in salience of task and assesment components are needed before performing the holistic scoring of complex tasks. Also raters need to recognize her/his severity and efforts to keep one's own severity. Multiple raters are needed to prevent the errors from being overlooked. The further studies in raters' tendencies and sources of different interpretations on the rubric are suggested.

• 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.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 1994

This study was performed to determine the inter-rater reliability of manual tests of elbow, knee flexor, and ankle dorsiflexor muscle spasticity graded on the Modified Ashworth Scale. Two raters each independently graded the spasticity of 32 patients with intracranial lesions after moving the paretic limb passively through the available range of motion. The patients were asked to simultaneously squeeze therapeutic putty with their non-paretic hand for reinforcement. The ratings were compared by the Wilcoxon matched pairs signed-rank test and by the Kendall's coefficient of rank(tau) correlation. There was singificant correlation between two raters for spasticity at the elbow, knee flexor, and ankle dorsiflexor. The correlations of the two raters ranged from .6746 to .9308. The highest correlation was for the elbow with reinforcement and the lowest was for the knee without reinforcement. Poorer correlation was evident in the knee joint. The positive results of this study encourage the continued use of manual tests of muscle spasticity, using the Modified Ashworth Scale.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.4241-4254
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• 2019

The efficiency and accuracy of handwriting measurement could be improved by adopting digital image processing. This study developed a computer-based Korean Handwriting Assessment tool. Second graders participated in this study by performing writing tasks of consonants, vowels, words, and sentences. We extracted boundary parameters for each letter using digital image processing and calculated the variables of size, size coefficient of variation (CV), misalignment, inter-letter space, inter-word space, and ratio of inter-letter space to inter-word space. Children were also administered traditional handwriting and visuomotor tests. Digital variables from image processing were correlated with these previous tests. Using these correlations, we established a three-point scoring system that computed test scores for each variable. We analyzed inter-rater reliability between the computer rater and human rater and test-retest reliability between the first and second performances. The validity was examined by analyzing the relationship between the Korean Handwriting Assessment and previous handwriting and visuomotor tests. We suggested the Korean Handwriting Assessment to measure size, size consistency, misalignment, inter-letter space, inter-word space, and space ratio using digital image processing. This Korean Handwriting Assessment tool proved to have reliability and validity. It is expected to be useful for assessing children's handwriting.

• 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.