scholarly journals Quantitative Mechanical Properties of the Relaxed Biceps and Triceps Brachii Muscles in Patients with Subacute Stroke: A Reliability Study of the Myoton-3 Myometer

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li-ling Chuang ◽  
Ching-yi Wu ◽  
Keh-chung Lin ◽  
Shih-yu Lur

Objective. Test-retest reliability of the myotonometer was investigated in patients with subacute stroke.Methods. Twelve patients with substroke (3 to 9 months poststroke) were examined in standardized testing position twice, 60 minutes apart, with the Myoton-3 myometer to measure tone, elasticity, and stiffness of relaxed bilateral biceps and triceps brachii muscles. Intrarater reliability of muscle properties was determined using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), the standard error of measurement (SEM), and the minimal detectable change (MDC).Results. Intrarater reliability of muscle properties of bilateral biceps and triceps brachii muscles were good (ICCs=0.79–0.96) except for unaffected biceps tone (ICC=0.72). The SEM and MDC of bilateral biceps and triceps brachii muscles indicated small measurement error (SEM%<10%, MDC%<25%).Conclusion. The Myoton-3 myometer is a reliable tool for quantifying muscle tone, elasticity, and stiffness of the biceps and triceps brachii in patients with subacute stroke.

2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiago Neto ◽  
Lia Jacobsohn ◽  
Ana I. Carita ◽  
Raul Oliveira

Context: The active-knee-extension test (AKE) and the straight-leg-raise test (SLR) are widely used for flexibility assessment. A number of investigations have tested the reliability of these measures, especially the AKE. However, in most studies, the sample involved subjects with normal flexibility. In addition, few studies have determined the standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable difference (MDD), which can provide complementary and more clinically relevant information than the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) alone. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the AKE and LSR intrarater (test-retest) reliability in subjects with flexibility deficits, as well as the correlation between the 2 tests. Design: Reliability study. Setting: Academic laboratory. Subjects: 102 recreationally active participants (48 male, 54 female) with no injury to the lower limbs and with flexibility deficits in the hamstrings muscle group. Main Outcomes: Intrarater reliability was determined using the ICC, complemented by the SEM and MDD. Measures: All participants performed, in each lower limb, 2 trials of the AKE and the SLR. Results: The ICC values found for AKE and SLR tests were, respectively, .87-.94 and .93-.97. The values for SEM were low for both tests (2.6-2.9° for AKE, 2.2-2.6° for SLR), as well as the calculated MDD (7-8° for AKE, 6-7° for SLR). A moderate to strong, and significant, correlation between AKE and SLR was determined for the dominant limb (r = .71) and the nondominant limb (r = .67). Conclusions: These findings suggest that both AKE and SLR have excellent intrarater reliability. The SEMs and MDDs recorded are also very encouraging for the use of these tests in subjects with flexibility deficits.


PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paloma Guillén-Rogel ◽  
Cristina Franco-Escudero ◽  
Pedro J. Marín

Background Recently, there has been growing interest in using smartphone applications to assess gait speed and quantify isometric core stability exercise intensity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the between-session reliability and minimal detectable change of a smartphone app for two dynamic exercise tests of the lumbopelvic complex. Methods Thirty-three healthy young and active students (age: 22.3 ± 5.9 years, body weight: 66.9 ± 11.3 kg, height: 167.8 ± 10.3 cm) participated in this study. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), coefficient of variation (%CV), and Bland–Altman plots were used to verify the reliability of the test. The standard error of measurement (SEM) and the minimum detectable difference (MDD) were calculated for clinical applicability. Results The ICCs ranged from 0.73 to 0.96, with low variation (0.9% to 4.8%) between days of assessments. The Bland–Altman plots and one-sample t-tests (p > 0.05) indicated that no dynamic exercise tests changed systematically. Our analyses showed that SEM 0.6 to 1.5 mm/s-2) and MDD (2.1 to 3.5 mm/s-2). Conclusion The OCTOcore app is a reliable tool to assess core stability for two dynamic exercises. A minimal change of 3.5 mm/s-2 is needed to be confident that the change is not a measurement error between two sessions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Pablo Martinez-Cano ◽  
Daniel Vernaza-Obando ◽  
Julián Chica ◽  
Andrés Mauricio Castro

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to translate to Spanish the patellofemoral pain and osteoarthritis subscale of the knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score (KOOS-PF) and validate this Spanish version of a disease-specific patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) for patellofemoral pain. Results The KOOS-PF was translated to Spanish and sixty patients with patellofemoral pain and/or osteoarthritis accepted to complete the questionnaire. 1-week later 58 patients answered the questions again for the test–retest reliability validation and finally 55 patients completed 1-month later for the responsiveness assessment. The Spanish version showed very good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.93) and test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.82). Responsiveness was confirmed, showing a strong correlation with the global rating of change (GROC) score (r 0.64). The minimal detectable change was 11.1 points, the minimal important change was 17.2 points, and there were no floor or ceiling effects for the score.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Wallin ◽  
M Kierkegaard ◽  
E Franzén ◽  
S Johansson

Abstract Objective The mini-BESTest is a balance measure for assessment of the underlying physiological systems for balance control in adults. Evaluations of test–retest reliability of the mini-BESTest in larger samples of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are lacking. The purpose of this study was to investigate test–retest reliability of the mini-BESTest total and section sum scores and individual items in people with mild to moderate overall MS disability. Methods This study used a test–retest design in a movement laboratory setting. Fifty-four people with mild to moderate overall MS disability according to the Expanded Disability Status scale (EDSS) were included, with 28 in the mild subgroup (EDSS 2.0–3.5) and 26 in the moderate subgroup (EDSS 4.0–5.5). Test–retest reliability of the mini-BESTest was evaluated by repeated measurements taken 1 week apart. Reliability and measurement error were analyzed. Results Test–retest reliability for the total scores were considered good to excellent, with intraclass correlation coefficients of .88 for the whole sample, .83 for the mild MS subgroup, and .80 for the moderate MS subgroup. Measurement errors were small, with standard error of measurement and minimal detectable change of 1.3 and 3.5, respectively, in mild MS, and 1.7 and 4.7, respectively, in moderate MS. The limits of agreement were − 3.4 and 4.6. Test–retest reliability for the section scores were fair to good or excellent; weighted kappa values ranged from .62 to .83. All items but 1 showed fair to good or excellent test–retest reliability, and percentage agreement ranged from 61% to 100%. Conclusions The mini-BESTest demonstrated good to excellent test–retest reliability and small measurement errors and is recommended for use in people with mild to moderate MS. Impact Knowledge of limits of agreement and minimal detectable change contribute to interpretability of the mini-BESTest total score. The findings of this study enhance the clinical usefulness of the test for evaluation of balance control and for designing individually customized balance training with high precision and accuracy in people with MS.


Gerontology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 401-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans Drenth ◽  
Sytse U. Zuidema ◽  
Wim P. Krijnen ◽  
Ivan Bautmans ◽  
Cees van der Schans ◽  
...  

Background: Paratonia is a distinctive form of hypertonia, causing loss of functional mobility in early stages of dementia to severe high muscle tone and pain in the late stages. For assessing and evaluating therapeutic interventions, objective instruments are required. Objective: Determine the psychometric properties of the MyotonPRO, a portable device that objectively measures muscle properties, in dementia patients with paratonia. Methods: Muscle properties were assessed with the MyotonPRO by 2 assessors within one session and repeated by the main researcher after 30 min and again after 6 months. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed for all MyotonPRO outcomes to discriminate between participants with (n = 70) and without paratonia (n = 82). In the participants with paratonia, correlation coefficients were established between the MyotonPRO outcomes and the Modified Ashworth Scale for paratonia (MAS-P) and muscle palpation. In participants with paratonia, reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient) and agreement values (standard error of measurement and minimal detectable change) were established. Longitudinal outcome from participants with paratonia throughout the study (n = 48) was used to establish the sensitivity for change (correlation coefficient) and responsiveness (minimal clinical important difference). Results: Included were 152 participants with dementia (mean [standard deviation] age of 83.5 [98.2]). The area under the curve ranged from 0.60 to 0.67 indicating the MyotonPRO is able to differentiate between participants with and without paratonia. The MyotonPRO explained 10-18% of the MAS-P score and 8-14% of the palpation score. Interclass correlation coefficients for interrater reliability ranged from 0.57 to 0.75 and from 0.54 to 0.71 for intrarater. The best agreement values were found for tone, elasticity, and stiffness. The change between baseline and 6 months in the MyotonPRO outcomes explained 8-13% of the change in the MAS-P scores. The minimal clinically important difference values were all smaller than the measurement error. Conclusion: The MyotonPRO is potentially applicable for cross-sectional studies between groups of paratonia patients and appears less suitable to measure intraindividual changes in paratonia. Because of the inherent variability in movement resistance in paratonia, the outcomes from the MyotonPRO should be interpreted with care; therefore, future research should focus on additional guidelines to increase the clinical interpretation and improving reproducibility.


Author(s):  
Katherine L. Marks ◽  
Alessandra Verdi ◽  
Laura E. Toles ◽  
Kaila L. Stipancic ◽  
Andrew J. Ortiz ◽  
...  

Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of an ecological vocal effort scale linked to a voicing task. Method Thirty-eight patients with nodules, 18 patients with muscle tension dysphonia, and 45 vocally healthy control individuals participated in a week of ambulatory voice monitoring. A global vocal status question was asked hourly throughout the day. Participants produced a vowel–consonant–vowel syllable string and rated the vocal effort needed to produce the task on a visual analog scale. Test–retest reliability was calculated for a subset using the intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC(A, 1). Construct validity was assessed by (a) comparing the weeklong vocal effort ratings between the patient and control groups and (b) comparing weeklong vocal effort ratings before and after voice rehabilitation in a subset of 25 patients. Cohen's d, the standard error of measurement ( SEM ), and the minimal detectable change (MDC) assessed sensitivity. The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) assessed responsiveness. Results Test–retest reliability was excellent, ICC(A, 1) = .96. Weeklong mean effort was statistically higher in the patients than in controls ( d = 1.62) and lower after voice rehabilitation ( d = 1.75), supporting construct validity and sensitivity. SEM was 4.14, MDC was 11.47, and MCID was 9.74. Since the MCID was within the error of the measure, we must rely upon the MDC to detect real changes in ecological vocal effort. Conclusion The ecological vocal effort scale offers a reliable, valid, and sensitive method of monitoring vocal effort changes during the daily life of individuals with and without vocal hyperfunction.


2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. iv18-iv27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kitima Rongsawad ◽  
Laddawon Worawan ◽  
Karnsiree Jirarojprapa ◽  
Sararat Kaewkham ◽  
Sarawut Khattiwong

Abstract Introduction Static postural stability is the ability to maintain the posture with minimum sway. Increasing postural sway during standing in different sensory conditions is associated with aging due to decline in sensory and motor functions. Sway area measured by using sway meter is usually simple method for assessing postural stability in elderly subjects. Like many biological measurements, sway area has an intrinsic variability that affects their test-retest reliability and responsiveness of postural stability assessment. The minimal detectable change (MDC) is ability to detect smallest change beyond measurement error that reflects a reliable change. Therefore, the MDC value could provide information of clinical relevance on postural stability. The aims of this study were to determine test-retest reliability and MDC of sway area obtained from sway meter in elderly subjects. Methods Twelve healthy elderly subjects aged 60 years and above were participated in this study. The test and retest repeatability of postural sway measurements were performed twice with a 1-hour interval. For each subject was assess postural sway using Lord’s sway meter during standing on 4 sensory conditions for 30 seconds of each condition. The test-retest reliability of sway area was calculated using intraclass correlation coefficient. The MDC for each sway area was calculated to quantify clinical relevance. Results The test-retest reliability of sway area revealed good to excellent reliability ranged from 0.85 to 0.94. Standard error of measurement (SEM) and MDC ranged from 75 to 205 mm2 and 209 to 568 mm2, respectively. Discussion and Conclusion Our findings reveal that sway area in different sensory conditions could be used in assessment of postural stability in elderly subjects. SEM and MDC of sway area increased when subjects were asked to close their eyes and on foam surface. The sway meter is a reliable tool for assessing postural stability in clinical setting.


2019 ◽  
Vol 126 (5) ◽  
pp. 1006-1023 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexis Padrón-Cabo ◽  
Ezequiel Rey ◽  
Alexandra Pérez-Ferreirós ◽  
Anton Kalén

This study aimed to evaluate the test–retest reliability of soccer skill tests belonging to the F-MARC test battery. To avoid bias during talent identification and development, coaches and scouts should be using reliable tests for assessing soccer-specific skills in young male players. Fifty-two U-14 outfield male soccer players performed F-MARC soccer skill tests on two occasions, separated by 7 days. After familiarization, we administered two trial sessions of five skill tests: speed dribbling, juggling, shooting, passing, and heading. We assessed absolute reliability by expressing the standard error of measurement as a coefficient of variation with 95% limits of agreement, and we assessed relative reliability with the intraclass correlation coefficient and with Pearson’s correlation ( r). The results demonstrated satisfactory relative and absolute reliability for speed dribbling, right foot juggling, short passing, shooting a dead ball right, shooting from a pass, heading in front, and heading right. However, reliability values for left foot juggling, chest-head-foot juggling, head-left-foot-right foot-chest-head juggling, long pass, and shooting a dead ball left tests were not strong enough to suggest their usage by coaches in training or sport scientists in research.


Sports ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 117
Author(s):  
Mike Climstein ◽  
Jessica L. Alder ◽  
Alyce M. Brooker ◽  
Elissa J. Cartwright ◽  
Kevin Kemp-Smith ◽  
...  

Background: Usage of wrist-worn activity monitors has rapidly increased in recent years, and these devices are being used by both fitness enthusiasts and in clinical populations. We, therefore, assessed the test–retest reliability of the Polar Vantage M (PVM) watch when measuring heart rate (HR) during various treadmill exercise intensities. Methods: HR was measured every 30 s (simultaneous electrocardiography (ECG) and PVM). Test–retest reliability was determined using an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Standard error of measurement (SEM) and smallest real difference (SRD) were used to determine measurement variability. Results: A total of 29 participants completed the trials. ICC values for PVM during stages 1, 2 and 5 demonstrated good to excellent test–retest reliability (0.78, 0.78 and 0.92; 95% CI (0.54–0.90, 0.54–0.9, 0.79–0.97)). For PVM during stages 0 (rest), 3 and 4, the ICC values indicated poor to good reliability (0.42, 0.68 and 0.58; 95% CI (−0.27–0.73, 0.32–0.85, 0.14–0.80)). Conclusion: This study identified that the test–retest reliability of the PVM was comparable at low and high exercise intensities; however, it revealed a poor to good test–retest reliability at moderate intensities. The PVM should not be used in a clinical setting where monitoring of an accurate HR is crucial to the patients’ safety.


2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 479-486
Author(s):  
Yuki Kondo ◽  
Kyota Bando ◽  
Yosuke Ariake ◽  
Wakana Katsuta ◽  
Kyoko Todoroki ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND: The reliability of the evaluation of the Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest) and its two abbreviated versions are confirmed for balance characteristics and reliability. However, they are not utilized in cases of spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA). OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine the test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) of the BESTest and its abbreviated versions in persons with mild to moderate spinocerebellar ataxia. METHODS: The BESTest was performed in 20 persons with SCA at baseline and one month later. The scores of the abbreviated version of the BESTest were determined from the BESTest scores. The interclass correlation coefficient (1,1) was used as a measure of relative reliability. Furthermore, we calculated the MDC in the BESTest and its abbreviated versions. RESULTS: The intraclass correlation coefficients (1,1) and MDC at 95% confidence intervals were 0.92, 8.7(8.1%), 0.91, 4.1(14.5%), and 0.81, 5.2(21.6%) for the Balance, Mini-Balance, and Brief-Balance Evaluation Systems Tests, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The BESTest and its abbreviated versions had high test-retest reliability. The MDC values of the BESTest could enable clinicians and researchers to interpret changes in the balance of patients with SCA more precisely.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document