A Study on the Measurement of Wrist Motion Range Using the iPhone 4 Gyroscope Application

Abstract

The authors introduced a new method of measuring the range of wrist motion using the iPhone 4 Gyroscope application that is simpler to use and can be performed by the patient outside a clinical setting.

Reliability and concurrent validity of a new iPhone® goniometric application for measuring active wrist range of motion: a cross‐sectional study in asymptomatic subjects

“…As far as the authors know, in only one study has wrist ROM been measured using a smartphone app (Gyroscope) and a universal goniometer (Kim et al 2014). The result of that study indicated that there was no statistically significant difference between the mean values of the iPhone â and universal goniometer (Kim et al 2014). However, to the best of the present authors' knowledge, no study has investigated the reliability and validity of smartphone apps for the measurements of wrist ROM.…”

“…A point worth mentioning is that the difference was not statistically significant and therefore did not have a negative influence or cause concerns to clinicians about the measurement of wrist ROM using the iPhone â app. Kim et al (2014) measured the ROM of the wrist using a universal goniometer and the iPhone â 4 Gyroscope app. The mean flexion-extension values of the universal goniometer were about 1°higher than the values obtained with the iPhone â app.…”

“…Differences in the placement techniques used between the two instruments for the measurement of wrist flexion-extension ROM may have been responsible for this. In that study, the ulnar alignment technique was utilized for the measurement with the universal goniometer and the dorsal alignment technique was utilized for the measurement with the iPhone â app (Kim et al 2014). However, Kim et al (2014) indicated that there are no statistically differences between the mean values of the universal goniometer and iPhone â app.…”

“…Although overall reliability of the apps has been shown to be good to excellent, the reliability varies according to the joint and the ROM being measured. As far as the authors know, in only one study has wrist ROM been measured using a smartphone app (Gyroscope) and a universal goniometer (Kim et al 2014). The result of that study indicated that there was no statistically significant difference between the mean values of the iPhone â and universal goniometer (Kim et al 2014).…”

Reliability and Concurrent Validity of the Goniometer-Pro App vs a Universal Goniometer in determining Passive Flexion of Knee

“…This technology is gaining increasing ground in clinical practice, as it constitutes a fast, accurate and easy-to-interpret tool [11,12,13,14,15]. Moreover, these applications can be used by patients themselves outside the clinical environment [16].…”