Document Type

Thesis - NSU Access Only

Title

Reliability of Force Applied During Goniometric Measurement of Passive Knee Flexion as Measured with a Hand-Held Dynamometer

Authors

Stuart Marshall Peterson, Nova Southeastern University

Degree Name

Master of Physical Therapy (MPT)

Copyright Statement

All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of Nova Southeastern University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.

Department

College of Health Care Sciences - Physical Therapy Department

Publication Date / Copyright Date

1998

Publisher

Nova Southeastern University

NSUWorks Citation

Stuart Marshall Peterson. 1998. Reliability of Force Applied During Goniometric Measurement of Passive Knee Flexion as Measured with a Hand-Held Dynamometer. Master's thesis. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, College of Health Care Sciences - Physical Therapy Department. (172)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/hpd_pt_stuetd/172.

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate interrater and intrarater reliability of the force applied to reach end-feel during passive knee flexion in a clinical setting. Also, to contribute to the analysis of distinct influences pertaining to different sources of error regarding goniometric reliability.

Subjects: 10 second-year graduate physical therapy students (5 male and 5 female) having no reported knee pathology were selected as subjects in a sample of convenience.

Methods: Subjects were placed in the prone position on plinths as 4 assessors (2 male and 2 female) performed 3 trials each of passive knee flexion until end-range was determined. The raters measured the force they applied to reach end-range with a hand-held dynamometer strapped to the back of their hand in 2 sessions. Angular measurements were also obtained using an electronic goniometer.

Results: Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) for force and angle both between and within assessors yielded mixed results. ICC results for interrater and intrarater reliability of force were r=0.060 and r=0.441, respectively. ICC results for interrater and intrarater reliability of goniometric angle were r=0.709 and r=0.894, respectively. ICC's obtained over the r=0.700 value were considered reliable.

Conclusions: Raters used different and unreliable force between and within themselves when passively measuring knee flexion with a goniometer in conjunction with a hand-held dynamometer. Intrarater reliability for the angle achieved was only moderately reliable, where intrarater reliability for angle achieved was found to be high. Although a positive correlation was found between force used and angle obtained, it was very weak. Further research in the area of hand-held dynamometry is needed to substantiate these data.

Disciplines

Physical Therapy