Universal goniometer and electro-goniometer intra-examiner reliability in measuring the knee range of motion during active knee extension test in patients with chronic low back pain with short hamstring muscle

MohammadBagher Shamsi, Maryam Mirzaei, Seyyed Saeed Khabiri, MohammadBagher Shamsi, Maryam Mirzaei, Seyyed Saeed Khabiri

Abstract

Background: Both universal goniometer and electro-goniometer are used for measuring joint range of motion in physiotherapy. Active knee extension test is a way to assess hamstring shortness in patients with chronic low back pain. The aim of this study was to assess universal goniometer and electro-goniometer reliability in measuring knee angle during active knee extension test.

Methods: This was an intra-examiner reliability study between three measurements of knee extension angle that conducted on 45 patients with chronic low back pain having short hamstring muscle that referring to Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences clinic from 2016 to 2017. Knee extension angle was measured three times during active knee extension test with both universal goniometer and electro-goniometer.The measurement of knee extension angle was done at the beginning, middle and the end of one single session by one experienced physiotherapist.The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and standard error of measurements (SEM) were used to quantify intra-examiner reliability.

Results: For both methods, the reliability test values were found to be greater than 0.7 in the range of 0.92 to 0.99 (CI 95% ranged over = 0.94 to 0.99), which are classified as good reliability. The SEMs ranged from 1.04° to 2.16° for both scales.

Conclusion: Universal goniometer in clinical evaluations of patients (as they are easy to be employed) and electro-goniometer in laboratory studies (as they are more accurate) are reliable.

Keywords: Active knee extension test; Chronic low back pain; Electro-goniometer; Hamstring muscle; Intra-examiner repeatability; Universal goniometer.

Conflict of interest statement

This study was approved by the ethics committee of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (reference number: kums.rec.1395.169). All study participants gave full informed written consented to take part.The patient on the picture (Fig. 1) has provided written consent for publication prior to submission.The authors declare that they have no competing interests.Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Active straight leg raise test and hip flexion angle

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