A new measurement method for spine reposition sense

Cheryl M Petersen^*¹ , Chris L Zimmermann¹ , Steven Cope¹ , Mary Ellen Bulow² and Erinn Ewers-Panveno³

¹Concordia University Wisconsin, 12800 North Lake Shore Drive, Mequon, WI, 53097, USA

²Athletico, 1500 Waukegan Road, Suite 250, Glenview, Illinois, 60025, USA

³Core Control LLC, Chicago, Illinois, 60610, USA

author email corresponding author email* Contributed equally

Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation 2008, 5:9doi:10.1186/1743-0003-5-9


Published:	26 March 2008

Abstract

Background

A cost effective tool for the measurement of trunk reposition sense is needed clinically. This study evaluates the reliability and validity of a new clinical spine reposition sense device.

Methods

The first part of this three part investigation included 45 asymptomatic subjects examined in the first 20 repeated trials portion assessing spine reposition sense. The second portion, test-retest, examined 57 asymptomatic subjects. Initial testing consisted of subjects sitting on the device and performing 20 trials of a self-determined 2/3 trunk flexion position. The second portion of the study involved 7 trials of trunk flexion performed twice. The angular position for each trial was calculated and the mean reposition error from the initial 2/3 position was determined. For the third portion, the new device was compared to the Skill Technologies 6D (ST6D) Imperial Motion Capture and Analysis System.

Results

ICC (3,1) for trials 4–7 was 0.79 and 0.76 for time one and time two, respectively and the test-retest ICC (3,k) was 0.38. Due to the poor test-retest ICC, the Bland Altman method was used to compare test and retest absolute errors. Most measurement differences were small and fell within the 95% confidence interval. Comparable measures between the two methods were found using the Bland Altman method to compare the reposition sense device to the ST6D system.

Conclusion

The device may be a cost effective clinical technique for sagittal trunk reposition sense measurement.