Reliability and Validity of Visual Estimation in Determining Thorax Rotation Mobility using the Quadruped Lumbar-Locked Position.
Katelyn S Whetstone, Kyle A Matsel, Andrew S Patton and 2 others
PMID 38707852WHAT IT FOUND
Watching a healthy adult rotate the thorax in the quadruped lumbar-locked position agreed moderately well with a phone measurement, including when a student rated it.
It may help PTs screen quickly, but it was not tested in people with pain or injury.
Key findings
01Visual estimation of thorax rotation in the quadruped lumbar-locked position showed moderate to substantial test-retest agreement within each rater.
02Agreement between the expert physical therapist, orthopedic resident, and student physical therapist was moderate.
03Visual categories matched inclinometer measurements, with lower measured rotation in Restricted categories.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Participants were active adults with no current pain, so the results may not apply to patients with neck, back, shoulder, or elbow pain. Only three raters were used, and all were trained in the same physical therapy program, so other clinicians may not perform the visual test the same way. Scapular motion was not measured or controlled, so shoulder blade movement could have contributed to the observed rotation. The same subjects were tested twice, so learning effects may have influenced agreement despite random order. Activity level, sport participation, and hand dominance were not collected, so asymmetries related to those factors were not examined.
Declared interests
The authors report no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that visual estimation is a validated diagnostic tool for patients with pain or injury. The study tested only active adults without current pain, and inter-rater agreement was only moderate.