Effect of applying consistent pressure to the stationary and the moving arm on measurement reliability of glenohumeral internal rotation range of motion.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the inter-rater reliability of glenohumeral internal rotation (GIR) range of motion (ROM) and pressure measurements among four measurement methods: (1) Manual stabilization of the humeral head and coracoid process (MSHC) without applying consistent pressure (ACP) to both the stationary and the moving arms (BSaMA); (2) MSHC with ACP to the moving arm; (3) MSHC with ACP to the stationary arm; and (4) MSHC with ACP to BSaMA.

DESIGN: Test-retest analyses.

PARTICIPANTS: 39 subjects with GIR deficit.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: GIR ROM and pressure were measured on the stationary or moving arm by four examiners using the Clinometer application and a pressure biofeedback unit.

RESULTS: GIR ROM measurement with MSHC and ACP to the moving arm resulted in the lowest intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC = .43); the ICC for MSHC without ACP to BSaMA was .54; that for MSHC with ACP to the stationary arm was .77; and that for MSHC with ACP to BSaMA was highest, at .81.

CONCLUSION: MSHC with ACP to both arms leads to reliable GIR ROM measurement in a clinical setting.