Interrater Reliability of Spine Range of Motion Measurement Using a Tape Measure and Goniometer

The purpose of this study was to examine the interrater reliability of using a tape measure and goniometer to measure thoracolumbar range of motion (ROM).

Seven raters were trained on procedures for evaluating ROM of 4 spine motions, using 12 measurement procedures with a tape measure (n = 8) and a goniometer (n = 4). Three healthy female graduate student volunteers who reported having no injuries and who were able to perform all spinal movements served were stationed in separate rooms, and the 7 raters rotated through the rooms and measured each of the spine motions, using a total of the 12 measurement procedures. Data were analyzed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) as an index of reliability.

Interrater reliability ranged from ICC of 0.791 to 0.999, indicating good-to-strong reliability. The flexion finger-floor measurement showed strongest reliability, with an ICC of 0.999 (95% CI, 0.998-1.00). Interrater reliability was high for the modified Schober test (ICC, 0.942; 95% CI, 0.875-0.976), left (ICC, 0.985; 95% CI, 0.969-0.993) and right (ICC, 0.961; 95% CI, 0.920-0.983) lateral flexion, forward flexion (ICC, 0.971; 95% CI, 0.938-0.987) and backward extension (ICC, 0.995; 95% CI, 0.990-0.998), and trunk rotation (ICC, 0.933; 95% CI, 0.857-0.989).

In this study, thoracolumbar ROM measurements were obtained using a tape measure and goniometer with a good to high degree of reliability among raters who were trained in accurate procedures with the tape measure and goniometer.