Reliability of the modified Thomas test using a lumbo-plevic stabilization.

Area of Science:

• Kinesiology
• Biomechanics
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• Hip flexor tightness is a common issue affecting movement and posture.
• The modified Thomas test is frequently used to assess hip flexor length.
• Improving the reliability of this test is crucial for accurate clinical assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the test-retest reliability of the modified Thomas test.
• To investigate the impact of lumbo-pelvic stabilization on measurement accuracy.
• To compare the reliability of general, active, and passive stabilization methods.

Main Methods:

• Thirteen participants with hip flexor tightness were recruited.
• The modified Thomas test was performed under three conditions: general (GM), active lumbo-pelvic stabilization (ALS), and passive lumbo-pelvic stabilization (PLS).
• Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM), and minimal detectable difference (MDD(95)) were calculated.

Main Results:

• Both ALS (ICC = 0.99) and PLS (ICC = 0.98) demonstrated higher test-retest reliability than the GM method (ICC = 0.97).
• The ALS method showed the lowest MDD(95) at 2.35 degrees, indicating greater precision.
• PLS (3.70 degrees) and GM (4.17 degrees) had higher minimal detectable differences.

Conclusions:

• Lumbo-pelvic stabilization enhances the reliability of the modified Thomas test.
• Incorporating active or passive stabilization can minimize measurement error in assessing hip flexor tightness.
• These findings support the use of stabilization techniques for more accurate clinical evaluations.