THE INTER-RATER AND INTRA-RATER RELIABILITY OF GLENOHUMERAL JOINT POSITION AND MOVEMENT SENSE TESTS APPLIED USING AN ISOKINETIC DYNAMOMETER

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to test the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of glenohumeral joint (GHJ) position and movement sense tests of an isokinetic dynamometer in healthy individuals. Methods: The study included 17 healthy subjects. GHJ position and movement sense tests were applied with an isokinetic dynamometer to the dominant extremity. Results: The different error types calculated for position sense were in the range of mean 0.02±1.62 - 5.42±1.74. The ICC value for the different error types was determined in the range of 0.038 - 0.657 for the intra-rater tests, and 0.095 - 0.779 for the inter-rater tests. The movement sense test results for different directions and angles ranged from 9.61±2.61 to 11.18±2.89. The ICC values for movemeent sense were in the range of 0.687 – 0.912 for the intra-rater tests, and 0.844 - 0.925 for the inter-rater tests. Conclusion: The isokinetic dynamometer showed moderate-good intra-rater and inter-rater test reliability in the measurement of the GHJ internal rotation movement sense. The intra-rater test reliability was poor in external rotation but the inter-rater test reliability was moderate-good. However in the measurement of movement sense, the isokinetic dynamometer showed intra-rater and inter-rater test reliability at an excellent level. The conformity of both the position and the movement sense tests, and therefore, the repeatability, was extremely good.