Reliability and stability of the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire:intra class correlation and limits of agreement

Purpose: To analyse test-retest reliability and stability of the Dutch language version of the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) in a sample of patients (n=30) suffering from Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP). Method: Patients filled out the Dutch language version of the RMDQ questionnaire twice, before starting the rehabilitation programme, with a 2-week interval. Intra Class Correlations (ICC), (one way random) was used as a measure for reliability and the limits of agreement were calculated for quantifying the stability of the RMDQ. An ICC of 0.75 or more was considered as an acceptable reliability. No criteria for limits of agreement were available. However, smaller limits of agreement indicate more stability because it indicates that the natural variation is small. Results: The Dutch RMDQ showed good reliability, with an ICC of 0.91. Calculating limits of agreement to quantify the stability, a large amount of natural variation (+/-5.4) was found relative to the total scoring range of 0 to 24. Conclusion: The Dutch RMDQ proves to be a reliable instrument to measure functional status in CLBP patients. However, the natural variation should be taken into account when using it clinically

STRETCHING EXERCISES - EFFECT ON PASSIVE EXTENSIBILITY AND STIFFNESS IN SHORT HAMSTRINGS OF HEALTHY-SUBJECTS

Passive muscle stretch tests are common practice in physical therapy and rehabilitation medicine. However, the effects of stretching exercises are not well known. With an instrumental straight-leg-raising set-up the extensibility, stiffness, and electromyographic activity of the hamstring muscles have been experimentally determined and the effects of stretching exercises have been evaluated. Fourteen volunteers, aged 20 to 38 years (mean 27.3) were selected from a young healthy population with the toe-touch test (finger-ground distance greater than Oem), and a straight-leg-raising angle about 80 degrees. According to usual standards the diagnosis was short hamstrings. One group of seven subjects was treated during 4 weeks with a daily home exercise program aimed at stretching the hamstrings, whereas the untreated group was used as a control. Instrumental straight-leg-raising was performed in the subjects of both groups. The significance of the differences between the mean values was determined with the Student's t-test. Comparison of the data obtained before and after the muscle stretching program showed a slight but significant increase in the extensibility of the hamstrings accompanied with a significant increase of the stretching moment tolerated by the passive hamstring muscles. However, the elasticity remained the same. It is concluded that stretching exercises do not make short hamstrings any longer or less stiff, but only influence the stretch tolerance. (C) 1994 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitatio

Sport stretching:Effect on passive muscle stiffness of short hamstrings

Objective: To evaluate the effects of one 10-minute stretch on muscle stiffness in subjects with short hamstrings. Design: Randomized control trial. Setting: Laboratory for human movement sciences in the department of rehabilitation of a university hospital. Subjects: Sixteen students from the Department of Human Movement Sciences participated with informed consent in the experiment. Subjects were limited to men and women without a history of neurological and orthopedic disorders. To select subjects with short hamstrings, the finger-ground distance had to be greater than Ocm (unable to touch the floor when bending forward) and the manual leg lifting was not to exceed 80 degrees. One group of 10 subjects performed static stretching exercises during 10 minutes interspersed with relaxing, whereas the untreated group of 6 subjects was used as a control. Main Outcome Measures: The instrumental straight-leg-raising set-up enables the measurement of the force needed to lift the leg, range of motion (ROM), pelvic-femoral angle, and the electromyogram of the hamstrings. These variables provide information about the stiffness, elongation, and state of activity of the hamstring muscles. Results: One 10-minute sport: stretch resulted in a significant increase in passive muscle moment, ROM, and elongation of the hamstrings. There was no significant change in the course of the passive muscle stiffness curve with respect to the prestretch stiffness curve. Conclusions: One session of static stretching does not influence the course of the passive muscle stiffness curve. The increased ROM, ie, the extensibility of the hamstrings, results from an increase in the stretch tolerance. (C) 1996 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitatio

Test-retest reliability of lifting and carrying in a 2-day functional capacity evaluation

The objectives of this study were to establish test-retest reliability of lifting and carrying of a functional capacity evaluation (FCE) on two consecutive days and to verify the need for a 2-day protocol. A cohort of 50 patients (39 men, 11 women) with nonspecific low back pain were evaluated using a 2-day FCE protocol. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated for weight lifted and carried. Predictive relationships between test and retest were explored by means of a regression analysis. The results of ICC were lifting low 0.87, lifting overhead 0.87, and carrying 0.77. Performances on day 2 were on an average 6-9% higher. Other than the amount of weight handled on day 1, no variable was found to predict performance on day 2. It was concluded that test-retest reliability of lifting and carrying was good, and the need for a 2-day protocol could not be confirmed. Record 6 of 8 - PreMedline on SilverPlatter November Week 4