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Evaluation of a New Device for Measuring Responses to Posteroanterior Forces in a Patient Population, Part 1: Reliability Testing

J Latimer, PT, MPAA, is Lecturer, School of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, East St, POB 170, Lidcombe, New South Wales, Australia 2141 (j.latimer@cchs.su.edu.au).
MM Goodsell, PT, MPAA, is Lecturer, School of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney.
M Lee, is Lecturer, Department of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Sydney.
CG Maher, PT, MPAA, is Lecturer, School of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney.
BN Wilkinson, is Electrical Technician, Nebula Electronics Pty Ltd, 12 Karimbla Rd, Miranda, New South Wales, Australia.
CC Moran, PhD, is Lecturer, School of Social Work, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Background and Purpose. This study determined the test-retest reliability of measurements of responses to posteroanterior (PA) forces made using a recently developed instrument. Subjects. Twenty-two subjects with nonspecific low back pain participated. Methods. The length of the low-stiffness or "toe" region and the slope of the linear portion of the force-displacement curve were measured on two occasions. Reliability of repeated measurements was evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficients and percentage-of-agreement scores. The presence of a systematic change in the response to PA forces was evaluated by a paired-samples t test. Results. High reliability coefficients were obtained for both indices of the response to PA forces. The t test revealed no systematic change with repeated testing. Conclusion and Discussion. The new device provides highly reliable measurement of the lumbar PA force-displacement relationship and may prove useful in evaluating theories that have suggested a relationship between spinal symptoms and abnormal PA stiffness.

Key Words: Backache • Movement science • Spine • Tests and measurements

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