Hong Kong Physiotherapy Journal最新文献

Background: The inter-rater reliability of the craniocervical flexion test (CCFT) has not been established.

Objective: To investigate the intra-rater and inter-rater reliabilities of the CCFT in asymptomatic subjects.

Methods: Sixty asymptomatic subjects were randomly selected for the study. The CCFT was measured on each subject by two testers for inter-rater reliability and by one of the testers after a gap of seven days for the intra-rater reliability. Before testing, the participants were trained for the movement and compensations were corrected.

Results: The CCFT has high inter-rater reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient $=$ 0.907, standard error of mean $=$ 0.735) and high intra-rater reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient $=$ 0.986, standard error of mean $=$ 0.287). A Bland & Altman limits of agreement analysis has confirmed the high inter- and intra-rater reliabilities of the test.

Conclusion: The CCFT has high inter-rater and intra-rater reliabilities in asymptomatic subjects.

Background: Dysfunctional sacroiliac joint (SIJ) has been cited as a source of low backache (LBA). Numerous non-invasive clinical tests are available for its assessment having poor validity and reliability which challenges their clinical utility. Thus, introduction of a new clinical test may be necessary.

Objective: To assess reliability and validity of a new clinical test for the assessment of patients with SIJ movement dysfunction.

Methods: Forty-five subjects (23 having LBA of SIJ origin and 22 healthy asymptomatic volunteers) with mean age 28.62 $+∕-$ 5.26 years were assessed by 2 blinded examiners for 3 different clinical tests of SIJ, including the new test. The obtained values were assessed for reliability by intraclass correlation, kappa coefficient and percentage agreement. Validity was assessed by averaging sensitivity and specificity. Positive and negative predictive values and accuracy were assessed.

Results: The new test demonstrates good intra- $(r=0.81)$ and inter-rater $(r=0.82)$ reliability with substantial agreement between raters $(k>0.60)$ . It has 79.9% validity, 82% sensitivity, 77% specificity, 79% positive-predictive, 80% negative-predictive value and accuracy.

Conclusion: The new "Shimpi Prone SIJ test" has a good intra- and inter-rater reliability with a substantial rater agreement and a good validity and accuracy for the assessment of patients with SIJ movement dysfunction.

Background: Improving lower limb muscle strength is important in preventing progression of osteoarthritis (OA) and its symptoms. Exercise with branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation has been reported to affect protein anabolism in young and elderly persons. However, few studies provided daily BCAAs for patients with OA.

Objective: This study examined the effects of combined BCAAs and exercise therapy on physical function improvement in women with hip OA scheduled for total hip arthroplasty.

Methods: The subjects were 43 women with OA (age: 64.2 $\pm$ 9.4). The participants were randomly divided into two groups: BCAA ( $n=21$ ) and control ( $n=22$ ). The combined therapy was carried out for one month. Exercise intervention involved hip abductor muscle exercise in both groups. For the nutritional intervention, 6 g of BCAAs or 1.2 g of starch were consumed within 10 min before starting the exercise.

Results: There was a marginally significant difference in the main effect between the groups in 10-m timed gait time. The improvement rate in hip abductor muscle strength of the contralateral side was significantly greater in the BCAA group.

Conclusion: By combining BCAA intake and exercise therapy, a significant improvement in hip abductor muscle strength of the contralateral side was achieved in women with OA.

Background: In the previous psychometric analysis paper in our series for identifying the core set of balance measures for the assessment of balance, we recommended the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and balance sub-components of the Scale for the assessment and rating of ataxia (SARAbal) as psychometrically sound measures of balance for people with cerebellar ataxia (CA) secondary to multiple sclerosis.

Objective: The present study further examined the suitability of BBS and SARAbal for the assessment of balance in CA with regard to psychometric property strength, appropriateness, interpretability, precision, acceptability and feasibility.

Methods: Criteria to fulfill each factor was defined according to the framework of Fitzpatrick et al. (1998). Based on the findings of our previous psychometric analysis, each criterion was further analyzed.

Results: The psychometric analysis reported good reliability and validity estimates for the BBS and SARAbal recommending them as psychometrically sound measures; they fulfilled both criteria for appropriateness and interpretability, the measures showed evidence for precision and acceptability, and they were found to be feasible in terms of the time and cost involved for the balance assessment.

Conclusion: We have provided evidence for the use of the BBS and SARAbal for the assessment of balance among people with CA.