Validity, Reliability, and Efficiency of a Standard Goniometer, Medical Inclinometer, and Builder's Inclinometer.
June Hanks, Betsy Myers
PMID 37547826WHAT IT FOUND
Digital inclinometers measured shoulder and forearm range of motion faster and more reliably than a standard goniometer in healthy adults.
A cheap builder's inclinometer performed similarly to a medical one, but clinicians must stick to one device type for tracking change.
Key findings
01Both digital inclinometers took significantly less time to measure range of motion than the standard goniometer.
02The builder's inclinometer and medical inclinometer showed high agreement with each other, but neither agreed well with the goniometer.
03Intrarater reliability was good to excellent for all devices, but the goniometer was the least reliable.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study only included healthy, symptom-free adults, so the results may not apply to patients with pain or stiffness that limits movement. Only one experienced therapist performed all measurements, so interrater reliability (how well different clinicians agree) was not tested. The builder's inclinometer used could not display angles greater than 90 degrees, requiring manual calculation for some measurements, which could introduce error. The study did not compare these devices to visual estimation or smartphone apps.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest or funding sources were reported in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume you can swap between a goniometer and a digital inclinometer for the same patient. The study showed low correlation between these device types, meaning a change in score might reflect the tool switch rather than actual patient improvement or decline.