[Purpose] This study aimed to investigate the absolute intra-rater and inter-rater
reliabilities during the measurement of muscle hardness, which is used to evaluate
physical therapy. Moreover, we examined the effects of using different equipment types and
their positioning on the intra-rater and inter-rater reliabilities. [Participants and
Methods] Participants of this study comprised 12 healthy adult male individuals. Two
experts and two beginners measured the muscle hardness of the lumbar erector spinae and
rectus femoris using three types of hardness meters at two positions, including when the
muscle was relaxed and stretched. [Results] Intra-rater fixed bias was observed during
some measurements by both experts and beginners. Inter-rater fixed bias was observed
during measurements by some experts and not the beginners. [Conclusion] In this study, the
measurement of muscle hardness demonstrated a need to reconsider the measurement position
and acclimation time. These examinations require the consideration of relative and
absolute reliabilities.