Reliability of observational kinematic gait analysis

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Clinical assessment
• Pediatric orthopedics

Background:

• Clinical assessments, including gait analysis, are prone to measurement error.
• Quantifying measurement error is crucial for interpreting clinical test results.
• Reliability of observational gait analysis in pediatric populations using orthoses requires investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the within-rater and between-rater reliability of observational gait analysis.
• To assess the reliability in pediatric patients using knee-ankle-foot orthoses.
• To quantify measurement error in this specific clinical context.

Main Methods:

• Three expert observers rated videotaped gait kinematics of 15 children with lower limb disability wearing knee-ankle-foot orthoses.
• A 3-point scale was used for rating.
• Observers repeated ratings after a one-month interval to assess within-rater and between-rater reliability.

Main Results:

• Total agreement between and within raters was 66.7% of observations.
• An additional 29% of observations differed by only one point.
• Between-rater reliability (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient type 2, 1) was .73.
• Within-rater reliability (Pearson product-moment correlation) averaged .60.

Conclusions:

• Observational kinematic gait analysis is a convenient technique for pediatric patients with knee-ankle-foot orthoses.
• The technique demonstrates moderate reliability, with significant measurement error.
• Further refinement or complementary methods may be needed for precise clinical conclusions.