Reliability of a device designed to measure ankle mobility.

STUDY

DESIGN

Repeated measures design.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the reliability of a device designed to measure ankle mobility in the clinical setting.

SETTING

Spinal Cord Injury Unit, Sydney, Australia.

METHODS

Consecutive sample of 15 patients with paraplegia and tetraplegia with injuries of less than 1 year duration was studied. Ankle mobility was measured on two separate occasions 2 or 3 days apart. Stretch torque was standardised and ankle range of motion measured with an inclinometer attached to the footplate. Intraclass correlation coefficients and percent close agreement scores were used to assess agreement between mean measurements obtained on days 1 and 2.

RESULTS

The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.95 (95% CI, 0.91-0.98). Measurements obtained on day 1 were within 3 degrees of the measurements obtained on day 2 77% of the time and within 6 degrees 97% of the time.

CONCLUSION

The footplate is a reliable and simple way to measure ankle mobility in people with spinal cord injuries.