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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the reliability of the 50-Foot Walk Test (50 FWT) and 30-second Chair Stand Test (30 CST) in patients who have undergone total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: The study was designed as a test-retest research. Thirty-three patients who would undergo bilateral TKA were recruited. The tests 30 CST and 50 FWT were performed twice on the same day with 5-minute intervals, respectively. Between the first and second tests, patients waited for an hour on sitting position in order to prevent fatigue. In addition to these tests, we registered the knee pain experienced by the patients using a 100 mm VAS scale. RESULTS: The 50 FWT and 30 CST showed excellent reliability. ICC for 50 FWT and 30 CST were 0.97 and 0.92, respectively. SRD95 was 1.07 for 50 FWT and 0.96 for 30 CST. CONCLUSIONS: According to results of this study, both 50 FWT and 30 CST have excellent reliability in patients with TKA. These tests are simple, no time consuming and constitute sensitive methods to measure the functional performance in patients with TKA in the clinical settings. Clinicians and researchers may use these tests to quantify even small changes in functional performance for patients with TKA. Level of Evidence III, Diagnostic Study.

Both the 4 MWT and the 10 MWT have excellent reliability in patients undergoing lower extremity surgery such as TKA, THA, LEF and soft tissue operation during inpatient rehabilitation. Clinicians and researchers can be confident that changes above the SRD95s for the different patient groups, for both sexes and with regard to weight-bearing status, represent a real clinical change in rehabilitation process. Implications for Rehabilitation The 4 MWT and the 10 MWT are simple methods and were also shown to be reliable measurement methods in many patient groups. This study illustrates that the test-retest reliability of the 4 MWT and 10 MWT are excellent in patients undergoing lower extremity surgery during inpatient rehabilitation (ICC: 0.94 for 4 MWT, ICC: 0.95 for 10 MWT). Clinicians and researchers can be confident that changes above the SRD95s for the different patient groups, for both sexes and with regard to weight-bearing status represent a real clinical change in rehabilitation process.

Background: Evaluation of range of motion (ROM) is integral to assessment of the musculoskeletal system, is required in health fitness and pathologic conditions, and is used as an objective outcome measure. Several methods are described to check ROM, each with advantages and disadvantages. Hence, this study introduces a new device using a smartphone goniometer to measure ankle joint ROM. Objective: To test the reliability of smartphone goniometry in the ankle joint by comparing it with the universal goniometer (UG) and to assess interrater and intrarater reliability for the smartphone goniometer record (SGR) application. Methods: Fifty-eight healthy volunteers (29 men and 29 women aged 18–30 years) underwent SGR and UG measurement of ankle joint dorsiflexion and plantarflexion. Two examiners measured ankle joint ROM. Descriptive statistics were calculated for descriptive and anthropometric variables, as were intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Results: There were 58 usable data sets. For measuring ankle dorsiflexion ROM, both instruments showed excellent interrater reliability: UG (ICC = 0.87) and SGR (ICC = 0.89). Intrarater reliability was excellent in both instruments in ankle dorsiflexion: UG and SGR (mean ICC = 0.91). For measuring ankle plantarflexion, both instruments showed excellent interrater reliability: UG (ICC = 0.76) and SGR (ICC = 0.82). Intrarater reliability was excellent in both instruments in ankle plantarflexion: UG (mean ICC = 0.85) and SGR (mean ICC = 0.82). Conclusions: Smartphone-based goniometers can be used to assess active ROM of the ankle joint because they can achieve a high degree of intrarater and interrater reliability.

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Reliability of the 6 mWT was high in patients with THA. The 6 mWT is a simple and sensitive method to measure the functional performance in patients with THA in the clinical setting. Moreover, clinicians and researchers can use the 6 mWT to quantify even small changes in functional performance after THA.

Objective To investigate the effects of kinesio taping and cold therapy on pain, edema, range of motion, muscle strength, functional level and quality of life in patients with total knee arthroplasty. Design Randomised controlled trial. Setting A university hospital. Subjects One-hundred patients were included. Intervention Patients were allocated into three groups; control group, kinesio group and cold therapy group. The control group received a standard rehabilitation program. Kinesio taping group received two fan-shaped kinesio taping bands and cold therapy group received cold packs in addition to the standard rehabilitation program. Main measures The outcome measures were pain, edema, range of motion, muscle strength, functional level and quality of life. Participants were assessed at preoperative, discharge and postoperative third month. Results The groups were similar at preoperative. A significant difference was determined in terms of pain in kinesio taping group compared to the control group at the discharge. Cold therapy was efficient in reducing postoperative swelling but kinesio taping had no significant effects on swelling control. There was no difference between the groups in terms of range of motion, muscle strength, functional level and quality of life. The groups were similar in all parameters at the postoperative third month measurements. Conclusion Fan-shaped kinesio taping is an effective technique in terms of postoperative pain relief. Cold therapy is an effective method in terms of edema control. Kinesio taping and cold therapy has no specific beneficial effect on functional level, muscle strength and quality of life compared to control group.

Purpose: Performance-based outcome measures are becoming increasingly important in health care. The 2-minute walk test (2MWT) and the Timed Up and Go test (TUG) are frequently used in clinical trials as performance-based tests in many diseases including osteoarthritis. The purposes of this study were: (1) to determine test-retest reliability of data for the 2MWT and the TUG; (2) to determine minimal detectable change (MDC) scores for the TUG and 2MWT in patients with total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods: 37 patients, who had undergone primary THA, were included. Patients twice performed trials for the 2MWT and TUG on the same day. In addition to demographic data of patients, the Harris Hip Score, 2MWT and TUG scores were recorded. Results: The TUG and 2MWT showed excellent test-retest reliability. The Intraclass correlation coefficient ICC (2,1), Standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable chance at the 95% CI (MDC95) for TUG were 0.96, 0.59 seconds and 1.62 seconds respectively. The ICC (2,1), SEM and MDC95 for 2MWT were 0.96, 6.37 m and 17.56 m respectively. Conclusion: Clinicians and researchers can be confident that greater changes than 1.62 seconds for TUG and 17.56 m for the 2MWT over time represent a real clinical change in rehabilitation process in patients with THA. Both the 2MWT and TUG may assist in early identification of patients who may need additional rehabilitation to reduce the potential for poor outcomes after THA. Therefore, both of these tests can be used in a clinical setting with a small measurement error.