The concurrent validity and reliability of the Leg Motion system for measuring ankle dorsiflexion range of motion in older adults

PeerJ

article

Carlos Romero Morales¹  César Calvo Lobo²  David Rodríguez Sanz¹  Irene Sanz Corbalán⁴  Beatriz Ruiz Ruiz¹  Daniel López López⁵ 

[1] Physical Therapy & Health Science Research Group, Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Health, Exercise and Sport, Universidad Europea de Madrid;Departamento de Fisioterapia, Centro Superior de Estudios Universitarios La Salle, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid;Motion in Brains Research Group, Instituto de Neurociencias y Ciencias del Movimiento, Centro Superior de Estudios Universitarios La, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid;School of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Podiatry, Universidad Complutense de Madrid;Research, Health and Podiatry Unit, Department of Health Sciences. Faculty of Nursing and Podiatry, Universidade da Coruña

关键词: Ankle dorsiflexion;    Weight-bearing lunge;    Goniometer;    Inclinometer;    Aged;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.2820

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundNew reliable devices for range of motion (ROM) measures in older adults are necessary to improve knowledge about the functional capability in this population. Dorsiflexion ROM limitation is associated with ankle injuries, foot pain, lower limb disorders, loss of balance, gait control disorders and fall risk in older adults. The aim of the present study was to assess the validity and reliability of the Leg Motion device for measuring ankle dorsiflexion ROM in older adults.MethodsAdescriptive repeated-measures study was designed to test the reliability of Leg Motion in thirty-three healthy elderly patients older than 65 years. The subjects had to meet the following inclusion and exclusion criteria in their medical records: older than 65 years; no lower extremity injury for at least one year prior to evaluation (meniscopathy, or fractures) and any chronic injuries (e.g., osteoarthritis); no previous hip, knee or ankle surgery; no neuropathic alterations and no cognitive conditions (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease or dementia). Participants were recruited through the person responsible for the physiotherapist area from a nursing center. The subjects were evaluated in two different sessions at the same time of day, and there was a break of two weeks between sessions. To test the validity of the Leg Motion system, the participants were measured in a weight-bearing lunge position using a classic goniometer with 1° increments, a smartphone with an inclinometer standard app (iPhone 5S®) with 1° increments and a measuring tape that could measure 0.1 cm. All testing was performed while the patients were barefoot. The researcher had ten years of experience as a physiotherapist using goniometer, tape measure and inclinometer devices.ResultsMean values and standard deviations were as follows: Leg Motion (right 5.15 ± 3.08; left 5.19 ± 2.98), tape measure (right 5.12 ± 3.08; left 5.12 ± 2.80), goniometer (right 45.87° ± 4.98; left 44.50° ± 5.54) and inclinometer app (right 46.53° ± 4.79; left 45.27° ± 5.19). The paired t-test showed no significant differences between the limbs or between the test and re-test values. The test re-test reliability results for Leg Motion were as follows: the standard error of the measurement ranged from 0.29 to 0.43 cm, the minimal detectable difference ranged from 0.79 to 1.19 cm, and the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) values ranged from 0.97 to 0.98.ConclusionsThe results of the present study indicated that the Leg Motion device is a valid, reliable, accessible and portable tool as an alternative to the classic weight-bearing lunge test for measuring ankle dorsiflexion ROM in older adults.

【 授权许可】

CC BY