Zirr M1, Prill R2, Schulz R2, Michel S2
1German Sportuniversity Cologne, Köln, Germany, 2Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus - Senftenberg, Senftenberg, Germany
Background: The most common physiotherapy examination of length measurements consists in use of a measuring tape. Examples are the measurement of the leg length and the hight of intervertebral disc to determine the influence of rehydration and dehydration. A new technology for this length measurements is a three-dimensional full-body scanner.
Purpose: In the course of progress in physiotherapy and medicine increasing cost and time pressure, in general healthcare new technologies have emerged. In the context of professionalization of physiotherapy and new technologies might be integrated in the practical everyday work. Therefore research about the quality criteria is necessary to proof the use of high end technology for basic clinical practice. For this purpuse we compared common length measuring using a measuring tape with a standardized protocol using a three dimensional scan technology. The aim of the study was to determine the reliability of both methods for legitimizing the scan technology in the evidence based practice.
Methods: In a multi-stage test design, we compared the reliability of the measuring tape with the 3D Bodyscanner from Vitronic in two different settings. First we investigated functional leg length measuring and second the distance from the first thoracal spinosus to the second sacral spinosus in an upright sitting position. Furthermore, we proofed the necessity of survey markers. A total of 39 adult subjects and 13 Testers were included . The intertester reliability was determined with the interclass correlation coefficient (ICC).
Results: Both approaches show excellent correlation with ICC > 0.97 (p .05) for the determination with the 3D Bodyscanner. Measurements by measuring tape show poor test-retest correlation both in determining leg length and in measuring distance at the lower back. Using markers for the Bodyscanner increase the reliability.
Conclusion(s): For the determination of the functional leg length and the length of the back are both, the measuring tape and the body scanner, recommendable if markers are used. Putting regard on cost effectiveness using a measuring tape is more feasible for daily practice. Certainly all methods still reveal weaknesses. A comparison analysis of gold standard X-ray to the three-dimensional fullbody scan and the manual tape measurement should be done to proof validity.
Implications: Depending on the question, anthropometric length measurements are elementary components in both medical and therapeutic diagnostics. The gold standard method represents the X-ray or MRI. Scanning technology using a 3D body scanner represents a modern alternative, which is more cost-effective and without radiation exposure. However, further studies are necessary to confirm the validity of the measurement method.
Keywords: Reliability, length measurements, full-body scan
Funding acknowledgements: None
Purpose: In the course of progress in physiotherapy and medicine increasing cost and time pressure, in general healthcare new technologies have emerged. In the context of professionalization of physiotherapy and new technologies might be integrated in the practical everyday work. Therefore research about the quality criteria is necessary to proof the use of high end technology for basic clinical practice. For this purpuse we compared common length measuring using a measuring tape with a standardized protocol using a three dimensional scan technology. The aim of the study was to determine the reliability of both methods for legitimizing the scan technology in the evidence based practice.
Methods: In a multi-stage test design, we compared the reliability of the measuring tape with the 3D Bodyscanner from Vitronic in two different settings. First we investigated functional leg length measuring and second the distance from the first thoracal spinosus to the second sacral spinosus in an upright sitting position. Furthermore, we proofed the necessity of survey markers. A total of 39 adult subjects and 13 Testers were included . The intertester reliability was determined with the interclass correlation coefficient (ICC).
Results: Both approaches show excellent correlation with ICC > 0.97 (p .05) for the determination with the 3D Bodyscanner. Measurements by measuring tape show poor test-retest correlation both in determining leg length and in measuring distance at the lower back. Using markers for the Bodyscanner increase the reliability.
Conclusion(s): For the determination of the functional leg length and the length of the back are both, the measuring tape and the body scanner, recommendable if markers are used. Putting regard on cost effectiveness using a measuring tape is more feasible for daily practice. Certainly all methods still reveal weaknesses. A comparison analysis of gold standard X-ray to the three-dimensional fullbody scan and the manual tape measurement should be done to proof validity.
Implications: Depending on the question, anthropometric length measurements are elementary components in both medical and therapeutic diagnostics. The gold standard method represents the X-ray or MRI. Scanning technology using a 3D body scanner represents a modern alternative, which is more cost-effective and without radiation exposure. However, further studies are necessary to confirm the validity of the measurement method.
Keywords: Reliability, length measurements, full-body scan
Funding acknowledgements: None
Topic: Orthopaedics; Robotics & technology; Outcome measurement
Ethics approval required: No
Institution: N/A
Ethics committee: N/A
Reason not required: For this study no ethic approval was necessary, all participants agreed to participate in the study and the data has been encoded.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
