Reliability of measuring iliac crest level in the standing and sitting position using a new measurement device

Piva, Sara R; Erhard, Richard E; Childs, John D; Hicks, Gregory; Al-Abdulmohsin, Hamza

doi:10.1016/S0161-4754(03)00097-6

« Previous Next »Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics
Volume 26, Issue 7 , Pages 437-441, September 2003

Reliability of measuring iliac crest level in the standing and sitting position using a new measurement device

Sara R Piva
- Submit requests for reprints to: Sara R. Piva, MS, PT, Department of Physical Therapy, Room 6035, Forbes Tower, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
- Physical therapist; and Doctoral student, Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa, USA
Richard E Erhard, DC
- Physical therapist; Head chiropractor, Spine Specialty Center of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa, USA; and Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa, USA
John D Childs
- Physical therapist, US Air Force; and Doctoral student, Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa, USA
Gregory Hicks
- Physical therapist; and Doctoral student, Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa, USA
Hamza Al-Abdulmohsin
- Physical therapist, ARAMCO, Dhahran Saudi Arabia; and Resident in Manual Therapy, Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa, USA

Received 30 May 2002

Abstract

Background

To date, the reliability studies of iliac crest (IC) level used nominal scales and presented conflicting results. To perform the IC level measurement, we propose the use of a measurement device that is composed of an inclinometer mounted on a crest level tester that measures IC level in degrees.

Objectives

To determine the interrater reliability of measuring iliac crest level in the standing and sitting position using an experimental device and to assess the precision of the measurements taken with the experimental device.

Method

Forty individuals (mean age 40 ± 12 years) referred to physical therapy for treatment of low back pain (LBP) participated in the study (16 male participants). Six examiners performed the measurements. Three of the 6 examiners performed the measurements on each individual. Each examiner independently performed the measurement of IC level in standing and in sitting using the measurement device.

Results

Intraclass correlation coefficients, [formula (1,1)] for measurement of IC level in standing and sitting, were 0.80 (95% CI = 0.7-0.9) and 0.73 (95% CI = 0.6-0.8), respectively. Standard errors of measurement for IC level in standing and sitting were 0.91 and 0.86 degrees, respectively.

Conclusion

The use of a measurement device resulted in good reliability of IC level measurement in degrees in standing and moderate reliability of IC level in sitting position. This finding is relevant to plan future studies that will investigate if changes in IC level may be associated with outcomes of pain and function in patients with low back or pelvic dysfunctions.

Keywords: Reliability, Measurement, Iliac Crest Symmetry, Standard Error of Measurement