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Reliability of five methods for assessing shoulder range of motion
K Hayes1, J R Walton, Z R Szomor
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St George Hospital, Kogarah, New South Wales 2217.
The Australian Journal of Physiotherapy
|November 28, 2001
Summary
Visual estimation, goniometry, and still photography show fair to good reliability for measuring shoulder range of motion in symptomatic individuals. These methods offer consistent results for key shoulder movements, aiding clinical assessment.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Physical Therapy
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Assessing shoulder joint range of motion (ROM) is crucial for diagnosing and managing shoulder conditions.
- The reliability of various measurement techniques in symptomatic populations remains insufficiently established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of different methods for measuring shoulder ROM.
- To determine the consistency of visual estimation, goniometry, still photography, "stand and reach," and hand behind back reach for six shoulder movements.
Main Methods:
- Intra-class correlation coefficients (Rho) were calculated using a random effects model.
- Inter-rater and intra-rater agreement were assessed for multiple shoulder movements.
- Evaluated methods included visual estimation, goniometry, still photography, "stand and reach," and hand behind back reach.
Main Results:
- Fair to good reliability (Rho = 0.53-0.73) was observed for visual estimation, goniometry, and still photography in flexion, abduction, and external rotation.
- Standard errors of measurement ranged from 11 to 25 degrees, indicating the precision of the tested methods.
- "Stand and reach" and hand behind back reach methods showed lower reliability (not detailed in abstract).
Conclusions:
- Visual estimation, goniometry, and still photography are reliable methods for assessing shoulder ROM in symptomatic individuals for specific movements.
- These techniques provide a reasonable degree of consistency for clinical application in shoulder assessments.
- Further research may be needed to refine less reliable methods or explore other measurement techniques.
