Agreement and Reliability of Median Neurodynamic Test 1 and Resting Scapular Position

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Orthopedics
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• The Median Neurodynamic Test 1 (MNT 1) is frequently used to assess median nerve mobility.
• Understanding the reliability and side-to-side differences of MNT 1 components is crucial for accurate clinical assessment.
• Previous research has not comprehensively evaluated these aspects in an asymptomatic population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine differences in MNT 1 between dominant and nondominant arms.
• To compare MNT 1 results between men and women.
• To assess the reliability of resting scapular position and MNT 1, and characterize sensory responses during the test in asymptomatic individuals.

Main Methods:

• A reliability and agreement study involving asymptomatic university students.
• Utilized Mann-Whitney U and Chi-squared analyses to compare sides and sexes for range of motion and sensory responses.
• Employed intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC2,3) to determine intertester and intratester reliability for elbow extension.

Main Results:

• Excellent reliability (ICC2,3 > 0.75) was found for elbow extension degrees and substantial reliability (κ ≥ 0.68) for sensory response strength.
• Statistically significant side-to-side differences were observed for resting scapular position and other MNT 1 components (κ values from 0.23 to 0.88).

Conclusions:

• Elbow extension and sensory response magnitude are reliable MNT 1 components.
• These reliable components show no significant differences between dominant and nondominant arms in asymptomatic individuals.
• Findings support the use of these MNT 1 components for consistent assessment in clinical practice.