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The purpose of this article is to present an assessment method, in conjunction with age-related normal values, for lumbar spinal range of motion. Lumbar flexion, lumbar extension, and right and left lateral flexion were measured on 172 subjects by a combination of goniometry and spinal distraction techniques. Normal values are given for six age groups; each group had a range of 10 years. The results demonstrate that a significant decrease in lumbar spinal range of motion is expected with increasing age. The interobserver reliability based on 17 subjects was substantial for the four measurements taken; coefficients ranged from +.76 to +1.0. The information may prove useful to the clinician as an improved method for assessing the lumbar spine.

Intertester reliability is important for longitudinal assessment of patients by two different clinicians. The purpose of this study was to investigate the intertester reliability of the cervical range of motion device (CROM). The CROM was used to measure subjects with a history of cervical dysfunction. The sample consisted of 22 subjects (15 female and 7 male). Active cervical flexion, extension, right and left rotation, and right and left lateral flexion were measured with the client in the sitting position. Moderate to high intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC = +.76 to +.98) were found between testers. Furthermore, the mean differences between testers were also consistently low for all six measurements (.5-3.6 degrees ). These data suggest the CROM is a reliable measuring tool between testers for cervical range of motion. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1992;15(3):147-150.

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The purposes of this study were 1) to establish the concurrent validity of the universal goniometer and the fluid-based goniometer and 2) to determine the intertester reliability of these two instruments. A correlational study was performed in which two testers used the universal goniometer and the fluid-based goniometer in measuring elbow range of motion in 30 healthy subjects. The fluid-based goniometer had high intertester reliability (R = .92), and the standard goniometer had poor reliability (R = .53). The Pearson product-moment correlation between the two instruments was .83. A significant difference was shown between the standard goniometer and the fluid-based goniometer by the t test (t = 4.4, df = 28, p less than .05). The results support the use of the fluid-based goniometer between testers on elbow range of motion; however, the two instruments cannot be used interchangeably.