The interexaminer reliability of measuring passive cervical range of motion, revisited.

PURPOSE

To study the interexaminer reliability of measuring passive cervical range of motion (ROM).

DESIGN

Repeated blind measures of passive cervical ROM by two different examiners.

SETTING

Ambulatory outpatient facility in an independent National Health Service of Denmark funded chiropractic research institution.

PARTICIPANTS

Thirty-five asymptomatic volunteers (17 men and 18 women) aged 20-28 yr.

INTERVENTION

Measurement of passive cervical ROM with the use of a strap-on head goniometer by two blind examiners. Each subject was measured twice with 15-min intervals, using a mean-of-five-measurements protocol.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

The reliability of measuring passive cervical ROM in six separate directions of movement from "neutral zero" and from one extreme to the other in three planes.

RESULTS

The inter- and intra-examiner reliability was evaluated using a paired t test and Pearson's Correlation Coefficient (supplemented by a scatterplot). Intraclass Correlation Coefficients were also calculated. Interexaminer reliability was found to be acceptable (Pearson's r = .61 - .88) for measuring in three planes. Interexaminer reliability was less than acceptable (Pearson's r = .39 - .70) for measuring passive ROM in 6 directions from neutral zero.

CONCLUSION

Passive cervical ROM could be measured reliably by different examiners for measurements in three planes. Measurements from neutral zero in six directions were unreliable when measured by different examiners.