Inter-Rater and Intra-Rater Reliability and Validity of a Parallel Robotic System With Musculoskeletal Model-Based...

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics and Motor Control
• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Musculoskeletal Biomechanics

Background:

• Knee proprioception is vital for injury prevention, stability, and athletic performance.
• Accurate measurement tools for proprioception are essential for effective assessment and rehabilitation.
• Existing methods may lack the precision required for detailed analysis of knee joint position sense (JPS).

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the validity and reliability of a novel parallel robotic system for assessing knee JPS.
• To determine the system's effectiveness in healthy individuals.
• To explore its potential for clinical and research applications.

Main Methods:

• Fourteen healthy participants (mean age 35.21 years) were recruited.
• The study assessed the validity, inter-rater, and intra-rater reliability of the parallel robotic system.
• Measurements were taken for JPS at 30° and 50° knee flexion angles.

Main Results:

• The robotic system demonstrated moderate to excellent reliability for JPS assessment at both 30° (ICC = 0.41-0.66) and 50° (ICC = 0.64-0.87).
• Significant concurrent validity was found between the robot and an inclinometer, particularly for passive motion in a closed kinetic chain.
• Standard error of measurement (SEM) values indicated good precision for the robotic system.

Conclusions:

• The parallel robotic system, incorporating musculoskeletal model-based feedback, offers a valid and reliable method for measuring knee JPS in healthy populations.
• Its precision supports its utility in clinical settings for patient assessment.
• The system shows promise as a valuable tool for future research in proprioception and knee function.