Hand-Held Dynamometry in the Inpatient Care Setting After Total Knee Arthroplasty: Reliability of Static Knee
Musa Eymir1, Ertugrul Yuksel, Bayram Unver
1From the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey (ME, BU); Graduate School of Health Sciences, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey (EY); and Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, School of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey (VK).
Objective:
The aim of the study was to determine intrarater and interrater reliabilities for static strength assessment of knee flexors and knee extensors in patients with total knee arthroplasty, during the acute postoperative rehabilitation.
Design:
Forty-five total knee arthroplasty patients were included in the study. Two physical therapists performed strength assessments by using hand-held dynamometry. Patients performed three trials and a 30-sec rest was provided between each trial. After this, a 5-min rest was provided, and then, a second investigator performed the same procedure for interrater reliability. Assessments for intrarater reliability were performed 1 hr later.
Results:
The intrarater reliability of knee extensors and knee flexors strength measurements were 0.96 and 0.94, respectively. The standard error of measurement and minimal detectable change 95% confidence level were 6.17 and 17.01 Nm for knee extensors and were 8.89 and 24.51 Nm for knee flexors, respectively. The interrater reliability of knee flexors and knee extensors strength measurement was 0.96 for both. The standard error of measurement and minimal detectable change values at 95% confidence level were 6.00 and 16.54 Nm for knee extensors and were 6.32 and 17.42 Nm for knee flexors, respectively.
Conclusions:
Hand-held dynamometry is a reliable method to assess static knee strength. Hand-held dynamometry assessment can be implemented during acute postoperative rehabilitation. Our results may assist the clinicians in determining an accurate postoperative rehabilitation program after total knee arthroplasty surgery.
