Test-retest reliability of the trunk control coordination measurement in healthy subjects
Summary
Aim
Low back pain is a major global health problem, with pain and disability as most important symptoms. Changes in precise motor control lead to increased pain and disability. Previous research measured precise motor control in an experimental setting and showed that patients with low back pain have an impaired quality of trunk control. However, this experimental setting cannot be implemented in clinical practice. Therefore, adjustments are made. A Xsens accelerometer is used as a more applicable device to measure precise motor control. Measurement properties of the device are yet unknown. Therefore, the aim is to examine measurement properties of the trunk control coordination measurement.
Methods
The study was a test-retest study, one researcher performed the protocol. Healthy subjects performed a tracking task, where precise motor control was measured. Measurement properties are determined by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient, the standard error of measurement, minimal detectable change, and limits of agreement.
Results
Twenty five young healthy subjects participated in our study (17 women). A poor test-retest reliability was observed (ICC = 0.219). The standard error of measurement was 0.130, and the minimal detectable change was 0.362. The limits of agreement were -0.540 en 0.185.
Conclusion
The test-retest reliability in healthy subjects is poor, possibly due to a learning effect. A significant upward trend was found between the first and second measurement. Of the 25 healthy subjects, 21 participants performed better during the second measurement. A limitation was the homogeneous study population. The reliability of the measurement tool remains to be studied in patients with low back pain, before it can be used as a device in clinical practice.
Clinical Relevance
Clinically relevant is the score of the minimal detectable change, a subject have to score above 0.362 to ensure that the change between measurements is clinically relevant.