Concurrent Validity and Intertester Reliability of Universal and Fluid-based Goniometers for Active Elbow Range of Motion

Abstract

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.

Validity of Goniometric Elbow Measurements: Comparative Study with a Radiographic Method

“…The UG is a common clinical tool for evaluations of the elbow and other major joints. However, the reliability of this instrument is still debated and some studies have investigated its intratester or intertester ICC, and/or compared it with new devices [1,11,20,24,33]. We therefore investigated the goniometer's validity by comparing its measurements with the gold standard radiographic measurement of ROM of the elbow.…”

“…1A-B) were defined as: the goniometer was centered on the lateral epicondyle, the stationary arm was pointing at the tip of the acromion process. There is a consensus for use of those two bony landmarks for elbow ROM measurement as they are easily located on the elbow and shoulder [1,7,21,24]. The wrist landmark toward which the mobile arm of the goniometer is oriented sometimes is the ulnar styloid Elbow's ROM Measurement 3135 process but we preferred the middle portion of the wrist as it can be used for pronation, neutral, and supination positions ( Fig.…”

“…The universal goniometer (UG) is a simple, easy-to-use instrument but its reliability and accuracy have been questioned [26], and, to date, no consensus has been reached [33]. However, the majority of studies agree that the UG has fair intraexaminer reliability but poor intertester reliability [1,24,33]. Intertester ICCs range from 0.26 to 0.99 [8,26].…”

Do hypermobile subjects without pain have alteration to the feedback mechanisms controlling the shoulder girdle?

“…Shoulder medial and lateral rotation range of movement was assessed using a fluid goniometer placed on the radius 5 cm from the wrist crease (Petherick et al, 1988). Three measurements of the range of the arc of motion from full lateral rotation to full medial rotation were recorded and averaged.…”

Repair and Rehabilitation of Extensor Hallucis Longus and Brevis Tendon Lacerations in a Professional Dancer

“…Inclinometers have demonstrated high validity compared to universal goniometers, high intrarater and interrater reliability, and acceptable error for ROM measurement at the ankle, 4 knee, 24 and elbow. 21 No reports were found specific to first MTP joint measurement.…”