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Test-retest intra-rater reliability of grip force in patients with stroke
Ann Hammer1, Birgitta Lindmark
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Orebro University Hospital, Sweden. ann.hammer@orebroll.se
Objective:
Coefficients of repeatability and reproducibility can be guides in differentiating between real changes and measurement error. The aim was to evaluate test-retest intra-rater reliability of a clinical procedure measuring grip force with Grippit in stroke patients, to assess relationship between grip force of the hands and between sustained and peak grip force.
Patients And Methods:
Eighteen patients were tested using the Grippit at two occasions one hour apart. Each occasion comprised three consecutive trials per hand.
Results:
The paretic hand needs to score a 50 N change within and between occasions to exceed the measurement error in 95% of the observations, irrespective of calculation method. Expressed by CV(within) the measurement error was 10%. There was no learning or fatigue effect during measuring. There was a wide variation between subjects but the mean ratio between sides was 0.66. The mean ratio between sustained and peak grip force was 0.80-0.84.
Conclusion:
The measurement errors were acceptable and the instrument can be recommended for the use in stroke patients at a department of rehabilitation medicine.