Accuracy of Visual Range of Motion Estimates

Accuracy of Visual Range of Motion Estimates Among Physical Therapists and Physical Therapy Students

Examine the accuracy of visual estimates of various joint angles by physical therapists at various levels of education and clinical practice, taking into account years of experience, areas of practices and specialty certifications.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Accuracy of Estimation of Joint Range of Motion
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: No intervention

Detailed Description

Physical therapists oftentimes will estimate rather than measure joint range of motion. The accuracy of visual estimates of various joint measurements has not been previously assessed. No comparison has been done for years of experience and accuracy of estimations. This study will create a survey with pictures of joints at previously measured angles and therapists and students will be asked to estimate the range of motion. Various statistical analyses will be performed to determine accuracy and comparisons.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 522

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • North Carolina
    • Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States, 28311
      • Methodist University, North Carolina

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: N/A
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

adults who are currently enrolled in a DPT program or graduates and licensed physical therapy practioners.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• licensed physical therapists
• students currently enrolled in an accredited doctorate of physical therapy program

Exclusion Criteria:

• students have not been trained in range of motion measurements
• are not licensed physical therapists

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Practicing Physical Therapists; licensed physical therapists currently practicing	Other: No intervention; No interventions separated the groups. Each group reviewed pictures and wrote down their estimated ROM of the joint pictured.
Student Physical Therapists; students currently enrolled in DPT program	Other: No intervention; No interventions separated the groups. Each group reviewed pictures and wrote down their estimated ROM of the joint pictured.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Comparison of estimated ROM to actual ROM	Compare the estimated ROM provided by the student/clinician to the actual measured ROM of the joint of the model.	6 months after completion of survey

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Methodist University, North Carolina
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Penny Schulken, DPT, Methodist University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 15, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 8, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): March 15, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 14, 2019
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 29, 2019
• First Posted (Actual): July 30, 2019

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 30, 2019
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 29, 2019
• Last Verified: July 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 2018 - 19 0048

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