Reliability, Standard Error of Measurement, Minimal Detectable Change, and Known-Group Validity of Modified Closed...

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Biomechanics
• Rehabilitation

Background:

• Upper-extremity physical performance tests are crucial for assessing athlete functional status.
• The Closed Kinetic Chain Upper-Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST) is commonly used in sports.
• Psychometric properties of the modified CKCUEST (MCKCUEST) in swimmers were previously unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the reliability, standard error of measurement (SEM), minimal detectable change (MDC), and known-group validity of the MCKCUEST in swimmers.
• To determine if the MCKCUEST can reliably assess upper-extremity function in swimmers.
• To assess the MCKCUEST's ability to differentiate between swimmers with and without shoulder pain.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study design was employed.
• Fifty swimmers (12-60 years old) with and without shoulder pain participated.
• The MCKCUEST was administered twice, with reliability assessed using ICC, SEM, and MDC95. Known-group validity was examined by comparing scores between swimmers with and without shoulder pain.

Main Results:

• The MCKCUEST demonstrated excellent reliability (ICC = .90–.98) across all scoring methods.
• SEM and MDC95 values were small, indicating low measurement error.
• The asymptomatic group scored significantly higher than the shoulder pain group on all MCKCUEST measures, supporting known-group validity.

Conclusions:

• The MCKCUEST is a reliable tool for assessing swimmers' upper-extremity physical performance.
• The test exhibits adequate known-group validity, distinguishing between swimmers with and without shoulder pain.
• Small SEM and MDC values suggest the MCKCUEST can detect meaningful changes in performance over time.