A. Chalimourdas1, Z. Dimitriadis1, E. Kapreli1, N. Strimpakos1
1University of Thessaly, Physiotherapy, Lamia, Greece
Background: Range of motion measurements are an important factor in both clinical practice and research. There are many instruments that can measure the cervical Range of Motion (ROM). One device that was recently designed to measure range of motion through Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensors is the DyCare-Lynx device, for which reliability and validity has not yet been tested.
Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the reliability and validity of the DyCare Lynx range of motion measuring device in the cervical active range of motion.
Methods: This study included 35 individuals for the reliability study and 31 individuals for the validity study. Test-retest reliability was examined with three measurements, by the same examiner with a 4±1-day interval between them. For concurrent validity DyCare Lynx was correlated with Zebris Motion Analysis System. Active cervical flexion and extension, side flexions, and rotations were examined from standing position. Each movement was accomplished in 6 repetition, and max and mean angle were calculated. The movement order was randomized. Also, a warm-up period was implied before the test. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC, Two-way mixed, Absolute Agreement, Single Rater), Standard Error Measurement (SEM= ) and Smallest Detectable Difference (SDD= ) were used for reliability. Pearson-r correlation test and paired samples t-test was used for concurrent validity.
Results: The reliability (ICC) of the DyCare Lynx ranges from 0.71 to 0.80 for flexion, 0.69-0.76 for extension, and 0.74-0.77 for gross flexion-extension ROM. For the right lateral flexion, the ICC ranged from 0.65 to 0.70, for the left lateral flexion ranged from 0.80 to 0.90, and for the total lateral flexion from 0.81 to 0.87. Furthermore, ICC ranged from 0.54 to 0.74 for right rotation, 0.64-0.69 for the left rotation and from 0.53-0.76 for total rotation ROM. The SDD values were from 12.7% to 22.5% for flexion and extension, 13.9%-29.7% for side flexions and from 11.2% to 19.6% for rotations. The correlation (r) of DyCare-Lynx with Zebris for the neck flexion and extension ranges from 0.95 to 0.96, for side flexions from 0.65-0.82, and for rotations from 0.69 to 0.85. Although there was a significant difference between the two measurement tools, this difference was no high. In all movements the DyCare Lynx yielded lower ROM values than the Zebris system.
Conclusion(s): DyCare-Lynx showed moderate to excellent reliability for all neck movements with significant moderate to strong validity properties. Also, the SDD values were acceptable for all movements. Overall, it can be suggested that DyCare Lynx might be a reliable and valid tool to evaluate cervical active range of motion.
Implications: Evaluation of reliability and validity properties of any new ROM instrument is very important, since this will help researchers and clinician to choose the most capable instrument and to understand and explain the results of ROM from their patients. The present study suggests that DyCare Lynx is a valid and reliable ROM assessment tool that can be used in both clinical practice and research.
Funding, acknowledgements: Bo funding acknowledgements.
Keywords: Cervical Active Range of Motion, DyCare Lynx, Reliability and Validity
Topic: Musculoskeletal: spine
Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: University of Thessaly
Committee: Education and Research Committee
Ethics number: 2855-ΣΕ2/27-8-2019
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
