Table 1 Inter-rater reliability of commonly used clinical tests of the spine (binary variables)
Test (missing values) | Prevalence of positive findings | Agreement | Reliability | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rater 1 | Rater 2 | ||||
% (n) | % (n) | Pa(%) | Kappa (95% CI) | ||
Scoliosis | |||||
Shoulder height | 32.4 (36) | 35.1 (39) | 59.5 | 0.20 (0.10, 0.28) | |
Adam’s forward bend test (1) | 11.7 (13) | 7.3 (8) | 88.2 | 0.32 (0.04, 0.60) | |
Hypermobility | |||||
Knee | R | 2.7 (3) | 9.0 (10) | 90.1 | 0.12 (-0.15, 0.38) |
L | 1.8 (2) | 3.6 (4) | 96.4 | 0.32 (-0.17, 0.81)* | |
Elbow | R | 18.0 (20) | 17.1 (19) | 88.3 | 0.60 (0.40, 0.79) |
L | 22.5 (25) | 24.3 (27) | 82.0 | 0.50 (0.31, 0.69) | |
Thumb | R | 9.9 (11) | 9.9 (11) | 94.6 | 0.70 (0.47, 0.93) |
L | 12.6 (14) | 7.2 (8) | 94.6 | 0.70 (0.48, 0.92) | |
Fifth finger | R | 2.7 (3) | 0.9 (1) | 98.2 | 0.49 (-0.11, 1.00)* |
L | 3.6 (4) | 0.9 (1) | 97.3 | 0.39 (-0.15, 0.93)* | |
Trunk flexion (3) | 1.8 (2) | 1.8 (2) | 100.0 | 1.00 (1.00, 1.00)* | |
Beighton score ≥ 4 | 6.3 (7) | 4.5 (5) | 96.4 | 0.65 (0.33, 0.97) | |
Beighton score ≥ 5 | 2.7 (3) | 3.6 (4) | 97.3 | 0.56 (0.11, 1.00)* | |
Intersegmental mobility | |||||
Restriction | Cx | 62.2 (69) | 91.0 (101) | 62.2 | 0.06 (-0.08, 0.19) |
Tx | 18.9 (21) | 48.7 (54) | 61.3 | 0.21 (0.07, 0.36) | |
Lx | 52.3 (58) | 46.9 (52) | 62.2 | 0.25 (0.07, 0.43) | |
SI | 4.5 (5) | 22.5 (25) | 80.2 | 0.21 (0.02, 0.40) | |
Pain response | Cx | 31.5 (35) | 47.8 (53) | 74.8 | 0.49 (0.33, 0.64) |
Tx | 12.6 (14) | 27.0 (30) | 82.0 | 0.45 (0.26, 0.64) | |
Lx | 30.6 (34) | 25.2 (28) | 87.4 | 0.69 (0.54, 0.84) | |
SI | 5.4 (6) | 8.1 (9) | 95.5 | 0.64 (0.36, 0.93) | |
End range pain | |||||
Lumbar | R lat flex (2) | 2.7 (3) | 7.3 (8) | 93.6 | 0.34 (-0.03, 0.70)* |
L lat flex (2) | 4.6 (5) | 8.2 (9) | 92.7 | 0.39 (0.06, 0.73) | |
Flex (1) | 7.2 (8) | 5.5 (6) | 95.5 | 0.59 (0.27, 0.92) | |
Ext (4) | 18.4 (20) | 27.5 (30) | 83.2 | 0.54 (0.35, 0.72) | |
Cervical | R rot (1) | 0.9 (1) | 5.4 (6) | 95.5 | 0.27 (-0.15, 0.70)* |
L rot (1) | 0.9 (1) | 4.5 (5) | 96.4 | 0.32 (-0.16, 0.80)* | |
Flex (2) | 1.8 (2) | 4.6 (5) | 95.4 | 0.27 (-0.17, 0.71)* | |
Ext (3) | 4.5 (5) | 2.8 (3) | 94.4 | 0.22 (-0.18, 0.63)* | |