Table 3.
Intra-rater reliability of commonly used clinical tests of the spine (binary variables)
|
Test (missing values) |
Prevalence of positive findings |
Agreement |
Reliability |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
Rater 1 (N = 39) |
Rater 2 (N = 36) |
Rater 1 |
Rater 2 |
Rater 1 |
Rater 2 |
|||
| Ex 1% (n) | Ex 2% (n) | Ex 1% (n) | Ex 2% (n) | P a (%) | P a (%) | Kappa (95% CI) | Kappa (95% CI) | ||
|
Scoliosis |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Shoulder height |
28.2 (11) |
18.0 (7) |
36.1 (13) |
30.6 (11) |
84.6 |
69.4 |
0.59 (0.36, 0.85) |
0.39 (0.37, 0.58) |
|
| Adam’s forward bend test (1) |
12.8 (5) |
18.0 (7) |
11.4 (4) |
5.6 (2) |
84.6 |
94.3 |
0.41 (0.03, 0.80) |
0.64 (0.19, 1.00)* |
|
|
Hypermobility |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Knee |
R |
0.0 (0) |
2.6 (1) |
8.3 (3) |
5.6 (2) |
97.4 |
97.2 |
- |
0.79 (0.38, 1.00)* |
| |
L |
0.0 (0) |
2.6 (1) |
5.6 (2) |
2.8 (1) |
97.4 |
97.2 |
- |
0.65 (0.03, 1.00)* |
| Elbow |
R |
15.4 (6) |
23.1 (9) |
19.4 (7) |
16.7 (6) |
92.3 |
86.1 |
0.76 (0.50, 1.00) |
0.53 (0.17, 0.89) |
| |
L |
25.6 (10) |
30.8 (12) |
22.2 (8) |
27.8 (10) |
94.9 |
94.4 |
0.87 (0.71, 1.00) |
0.85 (0.66, 1.00) |
| Thumb |
R |
10.3 (4) |
10.3 (4) |
13.9 (5) |
13.9 (5) |
100.0 |
94.4 |
1.00 (1.00, 1.00)* |
0.77 (0.46, 1.00) |
| |
L |
12.8 (5) |
10.3 (4) |
8.3 (3) |
11.1 (4) |
92.3 |
97.2 |
0.62 (0.24, 1.00)* |
0.84 (0.54, 1.00)* |
| Fifth finger |
R |
0.0 (0) |
0.0 (0) |
2.8 (1) |
0.0 (0) |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| |
L |
2.6 (1) |
0.0 (0) |
2.8 (1) |
2.8 (1) |
- |
97.2 |
- |
1.00 (1.00, 1.00)* |
| Trunk flexion (4) |
0.0 (0) |
0.0 (0) |
2.9 (1) |
2.9 (1) |
97.4 |
100.0 |
- |
1.00 (1.00, 1.00)* |
|
| Beighton score ≥ 4 |
2.6 (1) |
5.1 (2) |
5.6 (2) |
5.6 (2) |
97.4 |
100.0 |
0.66 (0.03, 1.00)* |
1.00 (1.00, 1.00)* |
|
| Beighton score ≥ 5 |
0.0 (0) |
2.6 (1) |
5.6 (2) |
5.6 (2) |
97.4 |
100.0 |
- |
1.00 (1.00, 1.00)* |
|
|
Intersegmental mobility |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Restriction |
Cx |
74.4 (29) |
76.9 (30) |
86.1 (31) |
91.7 (33) |
92.3 |
88.9 |
0.79 (0.57, 1.00) |
0.44 (-0.01,- 0.89) |
| |
Tx |
15.4 (6) |
18.0 (7) |
58.3 (21) |
50.0 (18) |
92.3 |
69.4 |
0.72 (0.43, 1.00) |
0.39 (0.09, 0.69) |
| |
Lx |
38.5 (15) |
56.4 (22) |
47.2 (17) |
41.7 (15) |
71.8 |
77.8 |
0.45 (0.19, 0.71) |
0.55 (0.28, 0.82) |
| |
SI |
2.6 (1) |
2.6 (1) |
22.2 (8) |
11.1 (4) |
94.9 |
83.3 |
-0.03 (-0.09, 0.04)* |
0.41 (0.04, 0.78)* |
| Pain response |
Cx |
35.9 (14) |
33.3 (13) |
44.4 (16) |
38.9 (14) |
87.2 |
88.9 |
0.72 (0.49, 0.95) |
0.77 (0.56, 0.98) |
| |
Tx |
12.8 (5) |
18.0 (7) |
33.3 (12) |
38.9 (14) |
94.9 |
83.3 |
0.80 (0.55, 1.00) |
0.64 (0.38, 0.90) |
| |
Lx |
25.6 (10) |
33.3 (13) |
27.8 (10) |
38.9 (14) |
92.3 |
88.9 |
0.82 (0.62, 1.00) |
0.75 (0.53, 0.97) |
| |
SI |
5.1 (2) |
2.6 (1) |
8.3 (3) |
8.3 (3) |
92.3 |
94.4 |
-0.04 (-0.11, 0.04)* |
0.64 (0.17, 1.00)* |
|
End range pain |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Lumbar |
R lat flex (2) |
5.1 (2) |
5.1 (2) |
2.9 (1) |
8.6 (3) |
100.0 |
91.2 |
1.00 (1.00, 1.00)* |
0.00 ( - , 1.00)* |
| |
L lat flex (2) |
12.8 (5) |
5.1 (2) |
2.9 (1) |
8.6 (3) |
92.3 |
88.2 |
0.54 (0.09, 0.98)* |
-0.05 (-0.14, 0.05)* |
| |
Flex |
18.0 (7) |
12.8 (5) |
2.8 (1) |
5.6 (2) |
79.5 |
91.7 |
0.22 (-0.16, 0.60) |
-0.04 (-0.12, 0.04)* |
| |
Ext (4) |
23.7 (9) |
23.7 (9) |
34.3 (12) |
25.7 (9) |
94.6 |
82.4 |
0.85 (0.66, 1.00) |
0.58 (0.28, 0.88) |
| Cervical |
R Rot (1) |
0.0 (0) |
0.0 (0) |
5.6 (2) |
2.8 (1) |
- |
94.4 |
- |
0.00 ( - , 1.00)* |
| |
L Rot (1) |
0.0 (0) |
0.0 (0) |
5.6 (2) |
0.0 (0) |
- |
91.7 |
- |
-0.04 (-0.12, 0.04)* |
| |
Flex (1) |
5.3 (2) |
5.1 (2) |
5.6 (2) |
2.8 (1) |
100.0 |
97.2 |
1.00 (1.00, 1.00)* |
0.65 (0.03, 1.00)* |
| Ext (1) | 2.6 (1) | 5.1 (2) | 5.6 (2) | 5.6 (2) | 97.4 | 94.4 | 0.66 (0.03, 1.00)* | 0.47 (-0.15, 1.00)* | |
Ex = examination; P a = percentage of agreement; Cx = cervical spine; Tx = thoracic spine; Lx = lumbar spine; SI = sacroiliac joints; R = right; L = left; ROM = Range of motion.
*The cell size of positive findings is ≤5, so the Kappa values should be interpreted with caution. Clinically acceptable Kappa values in bold.