The results of this study suggest that a 30-second duration is an effective amount of time to sustain a hamstring muscle stretch in order to increase ROM. No increase in flexibility occurred when the duration of stretching was increased from 30 to 60 seconds or when the frequency of stretching was increased from one to three times per day.

The results of this study suggest that a duration of 30 seconds is an effective time of stretching for enhancing the flexibility of the hamstring muscles. Given the information that no increase in flexibility of the hamstring muscles occurred by increasing the duration of stretching from 30 to 60 seconds, the use of the longer duration of stretching for an acute effect must be questioned.

A tool and process for measuring cervical spine active range of motion (AROM) that are clinically useful and reliable, when used on both healthy and symptomatic individuals, is needed. Clinical tools such as the cervical range-of-motion device (CROM; Performance Attainment Associates, Lindstrom, MN), universal goniometer, universal inclinometer, and flexible tape measure have all been proposed for that purpose.14 Although clinical investigators 100 years, this contemporary period of increased demand for evidence-based patient management continues the discussion over the tools and methods used for measurement, as well as research design and data analysis, in the study of AROM measurement. 9,10A literature search identified 5 previously published studies that investigated intrarater reliability of CROM measurement. None of the studies reported information on intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) confidence intervals, statistical power, standard error of the measurement, or minimal detectable change. Youdas et al 24 determined ICC 1,1 values to be no less than 0.84 for measuring cervical spine AROM on subjects with cervical spine conditions. In a follow-up normative data study on cervical AROM using the CROM, Youdas et al 25 presented ICC 1,1 values for intrarater reliability of 5 therapists measuring healthy subjects. While most of the ICC values for the 5 raters were 0.80 or above, ICCs as low as 0.23 (flexion), 0.58 (right rotation), and 0.60 (right lateral flexion) were reported. Capuano-Pucci et al 2 reported that the intrarater reliability (Pearson r) of 2 undescribed raters using the CROM on healthy subjects ranged from 0.63 to 0.90 for rater 1 and from 0.62 to 0.91 for rater 2. Three of the 12 coefficients were below 0.80. Hole et al 7 reported ICC 1,1 values no lower than 0.92 for 2 chiropractic students using the CROM on healthy have been publishing studies of quantitative measurement of joint AROM for over Clinical measurement, intrarater reliability study.To determine the intrarater reliability of cervical active range of motion (AROM) measurement of subjects with and without neck pain using the cervical range-of-motion device (CROM).Cervical spine AROM data are used by physical therapists to assist in identifying movement impairment, monitor patient progress, and evaluate the effectiveness of intervention. Presently, insufficient literature exists regarding the intrarater reliability of cervical AROM measurements using the CROM.Twenty-five adult subjects without neck pain and 22 adult subjects with neck pain volunteered for the study. Two trials of cervical AROM measurement (6 movements) were performed for each subject. Practice sessions, methods of measurement, and rest time between trials were standardized; order of measurement was randomized.The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC 3,1 ) for the subjects without neck pain ranged from 0.87 for flexion (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.76-0.95) to 0.94 for left rotation (95% CI: 0.87-0.97). The standard error of the measurement ranged from 2.3° ...

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Study Design: Test-retest design to evaluate the reliability of the measurement of iliotibial (IT) band flexibility using an inclinometer to measure the hip adduction angle. Objectives: The primary objective was to determine the intrarater reliability of the Ober test and the modified Ober test for the assessment of IT band flexibility using an inclinometer to measure the hip adduction angle. A secondary objective was to determine if a difference existed between the measurements of IT band flexibility between the Ober and modified Ober test. Background: The Ober test and the modified Ober test are frequently used for the measurement of IT band flexibility. To date, data documenting the objective measurement of flexibility of the IT band is scarce in the literature. Methods and Measures: Sixty-one subjects, with a mean age of 24.2 (SD = 4.3) years, were measured during 2 measurement sessions over 2 consecutive days. During each measurement session, subjects were positioned on their left side and, with an inclinometer at the lateral epicondyle of the femur, hip adduction was measured during the Ober test (knee at 90°of flexion) and the modified Ober test (knee extended). If the limb was horizontal, it was considered to be at 0°, if below horizontal (adducted), it was recorded as a positive number, and if above horizontal (abducted), it was recorded as a negative number. Results:The ICC values calculated for the intrarater reliability of the repeated measurement were 0.90 for the Ober test and 0.91 for the modified Ober test. Results of the dependent t test indicated a significantly greater range of motion of the hip in adduction using the modified Ober test as compared to the Ober test. Discussion and Conclusion: The use of an inclinometer to measure hip adduction using both the Ober test and the modified Ober test appears to be a reliable method for the measurement of IT band flexibility, and the technique is quite easy to use. However, given that the modified Ober test allows significantly greater hip adduction range of motion than the Ober test, the 2 examination procedures should not be used interchangeably for the measurement of the flexibility of the IT band. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2003;33:326-330.