The Reliability of the Upper Limb Tension Test: A comparisons of an experienced clinicians and a Doctor of Physical Therapy Student.

Nova Southeastern University, Davie, Florida, USA

Objective. Determine the interrater reliability between an experienced clinician and a Doctor of Physical Therapy Student (SDPT) when performing the Upper Limb Tension Test with median nerve bias (ULTT1). Background. The ULTT1 is a common orthopedic test performed in physical therapy clinics designed to assess the mobility of the median nerve, accompanying branches, and associated nerve roots (C5,C6,C7). The ULTT1 has been shown to be an effective diagnostic test for conditions such as cervical radiculopathy, and a positive test may have prescriptive value. The reliability of the ULTT1 has been demonstrated, however, there is a paucity of evidence regarding the ability of a student to perform these tests in a comparable manner to that of an experienced clinician. Methods. Twenty healthy participants (mean age 25-years) were recruited via convenience sampling. Following consent, a second-year SDPT investigator and a clinician with 18 years of clinical experience performed the ULTT1 on each subject. A separate examiner recorded elbow extension range of motion (ROM) at the terminal point of the test, which was used for the analysis. Results. The intraclass correlation coefficient was .78 suggesting good interrater reliability. The MDC95 was 12°. Conclusion. The ULTT1 used in this study possessed good reliability when comparing to a SDPT to an experienced clinician, thus extensive clinical experience may not be necessary to accurately perform the test. The MDC95 indicates that changes of 12° or greater are needed to exceed the threshold of error.