Reliability of the standard goniometry and diagrammatic recording of finger joint angles: a comparative study with healthy subjects and non-professional raters

Table 2 Comparison of the minimal detectable changes with the lowest standard significant differences *

Position, Goniometer	MDC		Lowest significant standard difference (in degrees)
Position, Goniometer	I-A	II-A	Rater 1 (I-B)	Rater 2 (I-B)	Rater 3 (II-B)	Rater 4 (II-Bcpa)
EXT, PGn	11.5	9.3	14	9	9	9
SGn	11.6	9.0	9	9	9	9
FLEX, PGn	9.5	11.5	9	9	9	9
SGn	9.9	8.7	13	9	9	5

MDC = minimal detectable changes obtained from the corresponding SEMs in Table 1; I-A, II-A, I-B, and II-B = appropriate study parts; EXT, FLEX = position of imitated incomplete extension and flexion, respectively; PGn = paper goniometer; SGn = standard finger goniometer; * the lowest difference between the angles of the try-angles application of which resulted in significant differences between the corresponding observed PIP joint angles according to Wilcoxon signed ranks test (see Additional file 6 for details).

ISSN: 1471-2474