Jacobs Nina, van den Bogaart Maud, Hallemans Ann, Meyns Pieter
Rehabilitation Research Centre (REVAL), Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2025 Apr;1546(1):144-156. doi: 10.1111/nyas.15305. Epub 2025 Mar 20.
The joint position reproduction (JPR) approach is commonly used to assess joint position sense (JPS), but its psychometric properties in children remain unexplored. This study aimed to assess the reliability and precision of a multi-joint JPR protocol for assessing lower-limb JPS in typically developing (TD) children. Ankle, knee, and hip JPS were assessed in TD children (aged 5-12 years), on two different days, by a single rater using a standardized JPR protocol. The mean and best error (joint reproduction error, °) between the target and reproduction angle were calculated from three-dimensional kinematics for each joint across three trials. Total, joint, and limb JRE scores were provided. For JPR reliability, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC, 2.1) was reported. For JPR precision, the standard error of measurement (SEM) and smallest detectable difference (SDD) were calculated. Across 270 JPR trials (15 children, 8.6 ± 1.2 years, 8 boys), the mean and best JRE were 3.7° and 2.5°, respectively. The ICC ranged from poor to fair (0.01-0.44) for mean JRE, and fair to very good (0.46-0.77) for best JRE. The SEM ranged from 0.8° to 1.8°. The SDD was less than 5°, ranging from 2.3° to 4.5°. Evaluating ankle, knee, and hip JPS in children using passive JPR is more reliable and precise when using the best JRE. This study highlights the need for a multi-joint JPR approach and provide joint- and limb-specific SEM and SDD values.
关节位置再现（JPR）方法常用于评估关节位置觉（JPS），但其在儿童中的心理测量学特性仍未得到探索。本研究旨在评估一种多关节JPR方案在评估正常发育（TD）儿童下肢JPS时的可靠性和精确性。使用标准化JPR方案，由一名评估者在两个不同日期对TD儿童（5至12岁）的踝关节、膝关节和髋关节JPS进行评估。通过三维运动学计算每个关节在三次试验中目标角度与再现角度之间的平均误差和最佳误差（关节再现误差，°）。提供了总的、关节的和肢体的JRE分数。对于JPR可靠性，报告了组内相关系数（ICC，2.1）。对于JPR精确性，计算了测量标准误差（SEM）和最小可检测差异（SDD）。在270次JPR试验中（15名儿童，8.6±1.2岁，8名男孩），平均JRE和最佳JRE分别为3.7°和2.5°。平均JRE的ICC范围从差到一般（0.01 - 0.44），最佳JRE的ICC范围从一般到非常好（0.46 - 0.77）。SEM范围为0.8°至1.8°。SDD小于5°，范围为2.3°至4.5°。在使用最佳JRE时，采用被动JPR评估儿童的踝关节、膝关节和髋关节JPS更可靠、精确。本研究强调了多关节JPR方法的必要性，并提供了关节和肢体特异性的SEM和SDD值。
