Smartphone Versus Back Range of Motion: Validity and Reliability in Lumbar Range of Motion Assessment

June 29, 2026 updated by: Loay Akmal Ali, Cairo University

Clinimetric Properties of Smartphone Application as a Suitable Alternative to Back Range of Motion Device in Assessing the Back Range of Motion

This study aims to investigate the clinimetric properties of the iPhone Level application as a suitable alternative to the Back Range of Motion device in assessing lumbar range of motion, including flexion, extension, and lateral flexion.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Range of motion measurement is vital in physiotherapy for assessing deficits, establishing diagnoses, and planning interventions. Digital advancements now allow Range of motion assessment through devices and applications, such as the back range of motion, which is a gold standard for measuring lateral flexion due to its validity. Furthermore, studies indicate that the iPhone Level app effectively measures Range of motion in various joints, demonstrating good reliability and validity. This study aims to evaluate the reliability and concurrent validity of the iPhone Level application specifically for measuring lumbar flexion, extension, and side bending Range of motion.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
120

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Egypt
      • Giza, Egypt, 12613
        • Cairo University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy University Students with normal BMI Healthy Male university students

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Age 18-25 years old
  2. Healthy Male university students
  3. All participants have normal BMI

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Recent back, pelvic, or abdominal surgeries, traumatic injury to the back .
  2. Lower limb deformities, e.g., leg length discrepancy.
  3. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
  4. Any overweight or obese participants

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
assessment of flexion and extension range of motion using inclinometer
Time Frame: at baseline
During lumbar flexion and extension measurements using the Back Range of Motion (BROM) device, patients stand upright with extended knees and feet approximately 17 centimeters apart. For flexion, they bend forward to touch the floor, while for extension, they bend backward with crossed arms. An inclinometer is secured over the sacrum, and its position is centered to record readings in degrees. An L-shaped slide arm measures the distance between the T12 and S1 spinous processes. The device isolates lumbar motion from pelvic motion, and the stationary flexion/extension unit minimizes errors, enhancing measurement accuracy.
at baseline
assessment of lateral flexion range of motion using inclinometer
Time Frame: at baseline
For measuring lumbar lateral flexion, the subject's sides are parallel to a wall to prevent compensatory forward trunk flexion. An inclinometer is secured over the sacral region at S1, using a belt for stability. A gravity goniometer is placed on the upper thoracic region to capture trunk angular displacement during side bending. The inclinometer is levelled and zeroed before movement, allowing for precise measurement of lateral lumbar movement while reducing thoracic and pelvic compensations. Accurate placement of the device is essential for reliable results. The subject slides their hand down the thigh, keeping weight on the opposite leg to ensure the measurement reflects true lateral flexion.measures]
at baseline

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
assessment of flexion and extension range of motion using smartphone
Time Frame: at baseline
To measure lumbar flexion range of motion (ROM) using the iPhone Level app, participants are positioned standing upright with feet shoulder-width apart. T12-L1 and S1-S2 spinal levels are identified through palpation and marked on the skin. The iPhone is placed at these levels to record angles during maximum lumbar flexion. Total lumbar flexion ROM is calculated by subtracting the angle at S1-S2 from T12-L1. Subjects perform maximum lumbar flexion and extension with straight knees, and measurements are taken across three trials.
at baseline
assessment of lateral flexion range of motion using smartphone
Time Frame: at baseline
During the measurement of lumbar side bending using the iPhone Level application, the subject will stand in a neutral upright position with feet shoulder-width apart and hands placed on the hips to prevent arm movement from influencing the measurement. The spinous processes of T12 and S2 are identified and marked on the skin. The iPhone is first placed and zeroed at the T12 level, and the subject is instructed to bend sideways (toward one side) as far as possible without lifting the heels or rotating the trunk. The device remains aligned at T12 to capture the angular displacement. The same procedure is repeated with the device positioned at S2, and the final lumbar side bending range of motion is calculated by subtracting the angle at S2 (pelvic movement) from that at T12 (trunk movement). This method isolates lumbar lateral flexion and has shown good reliability and validity in clinical settings
at baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Cairo University

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
October University for Modern Sciences and Arts

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
December 1, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
March 1, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
May 12, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 14, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 29, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 2, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 2, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 29, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • P.T.REC/012/006199

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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