Reliability and criterion validity of handheld dynamometry for measuring trunk muscle strength in people with and without chronic non-specific low back pain

Shouq Althobaiti; Deborah Falla

doi:10.1016/j.msksp.2023.102799

Reliability and criterion validity of handheld dynamometry for measuring trunk muscle strength in people with and without chronic non-specific low back pain

Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2023 Aug:66:102799. doi: 10.1016/j.msksp.2023.102799. Epub 2023 Jun 10.

Authors

Shouq Althobaiti¹, Deborah Falla²

Affiliations

¹ Centre of Precision Rehabilitation for Spinal Pain (CPR Spine), School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK; Physical Therapy Department, College of Applied Medical Science, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: d.falla@bham.ac.uk.
² Centre of Precision Rehabilitation for Spinal Pain (CPR Spine), School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK.

PMID: 37343403
DOI: 10.1016/j.msksp.2023.102799

Abstract

Background: Evaluating trunk strength is an important aspect of the physical examination of people with low back pain (LBP). Thus, reliable, valid, and easily applied measurement tools are needed to quantify trunk muscle strength and monitor changes in response to interventions.

Objectives: To determine within-day and between-day test re-test reliability and criterion validity of a handheld dynamometer (HHD) to evaluate maximum isometric trunk strength in people with chronic LBP and asymptomatic individuals.

Design: Reliability and criterion validity study.

Methods: Twenty adult participants with chronic, non-specific LBP and 35 asymptomatic individuals participated. Isometric trunk flexion, extension, and rotation strength were evaluated with the HHD (Active force 2) and the within-day and between-day reliability were determined with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC_2,1) and the standard error of the measurements (SEM), minimal detectable change (MDC), and the limits of agreement (LOA) using Bland-Altman plots. Criterion validity was evaluated using Pearson correlation coefficients to compare HHD measurements to isokinetic dynamometry for both isometric trunk flexion and extension strength.

Results: Good to excellent within-day and between-day reliability was observed for people with LBP and asymptomatic individuals with (ICC_2,1) of 0.73-0.93 and 0.62-0.92 respectively. A moderate to strong correlation was found between measurements with the HHD and the isokinetic dynamometer with a correlation of r = 0.68-0.78 and r = 0.56-0.59 for people with LBP and asymptomatic participants respectively.

Conclusion: A HHD is a reliable, valid, and clinically applicable tool for the measurement of trunk strength in adults with and without chronic LBP.

Keywords: Handheld dynamometer; Low back pain; Psychometric properties; Trunk muscle strength.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Humans
Isometric Contraction / physiology
Low Back Pain* / diagnosis
Muscle Strength / physiology
Muscle Strength Dynamometer
Reproducibility of Results