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Volume 30, Issue 2 , Pages 116-123 , February 2007

The Reliability of a Posterior-to-Anterior Spinal Stiffness Measuring System in a Population of Patients With Low Back Pain

Edward F. Owens Jr., MS, DC
- Associate Professor of Research, Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research, Davenport, Iowa
- Submit requests for reprints to: Edward F. Owens Jr., MS, DC, Associate Professor of Research, Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research, Davenport, IA 52803.
James W. DeVocht, DC, PhD
- Associate Professor of Research, Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research, Davenport, Iowa
David G. Wilder, PhD
- Iowa Spine Research Center, 1408 SC, Biomedical Engineering Department, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
Maruti R. Gudavalli, PhD
- Associate Professor of Research, Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research, Davenport, Iowa
William C. Meeker, DC, MPH
- Vice President for Research, Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research, Davenport, Iowa

Received 20 June 2006 ,Revised 7 September 2006 ,Accepted 21 September 2006.

A schematic diagram of the PA stiffness system. The Polhemus Liberty electromagnetic tracking system monitors displacement, whereas force is measured with an inline force transducer.

A schematic diagram of the PA stiffness system. The Polhemus Liberty electromagnetic tracking system monitors displacement, whereas force is measured with an inline force transducer.
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Inclusion and exclusion criteria for the LBP trial.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria for the LBP trial.
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Force vs displacement plots of 5 loading and unloading cycles on the third lumbar SP of a patient in the LBP trial. The nonlinear range is less than 30 N. The more linear 55- to 75-N force range was u

Force vs displacement plots of 5 loading and unloading cycles on the third lumbar SP of a patient in the LBP trial. The nonlinear range is less than 30 N. The more linear 55- to 75-N force range was used to calculate stiffness.
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A scatterplot of stiffnesses measured for the 2 successive tests of PA stiffness taken 5 minutes apart. Slp_A is the calculated slope for the first test, averaged from the last 4 cycles of indentation

A scatterplot of stiffnesses measured for the 2 successive tests of PA stiffness taken 5 minutes apart. Slp_A is the calculated slope for the first test, averaged from the last 4 cycles of indentation. Slp_B is the average slope found for the second test [R² = 0.628; ICC(3,1), 0.790].
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