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Background. Lumbopelvic stability (LPS) is regarded as important for injury prevention, yet there are few reliable or valid tests that can be used in the clinical assessment of LPS. Three dynamic functional tests were identified that assess LPS in multiple planes of motion: dip test (DT), single leg squat (SLS), and runner pose test (RPT). Existing rating criteria for SLS have limited reliability and rating criteria for DT and RPT have not been established. Objective. To develop rating criteria for three clinical tests of LPS. Design. Qualitative research: focus group. Method. A focus group of five expert physiotherapists used qualitative methods to develop rating criteria for the three clinical tests. Results. Detailed rating criteria were established for the three tests. Each key factor considered important for LPS had characteristics described that represented both good and poor LPS. Conclusion. This study established rating criteria that may be used to clinically assess LPS.

An abnormal flexor moment pattern is often evident following total knee replacement (TKR) surgery. We investigated whether such a pattern at 12 months post-surgery could be predicted using biomechanical gait measures assessed before surgery and at 4 months post-surgery. Thirty two TKR patients were evaluated and classified as normal (biphasic pattern) or abnormal (flexor moment pattern) at each time point. Biomechanical parameters collected before surgery and at 4 months post-surgery were then explored for their ability to predict gait patterns at 12 months post-surgery. The gait pattern at 4 months was significantly associated with the 12 month post-surgery gait pattern, with over half of those with a flexor moment pattern at 4 months retaining this pattern at 12 months. Discriminant function analysis indicated that peak knee flexion during early stance, peak knee extension, and peak knee extension moment at 4 months post-surgery were independent predictors of the gait pattern at 12 months. Thus, an abnormal knee flexor moment pattern at 12 months post-surgery can be predicted by biomechanical analysis 4 months after surgery. Therefore, interventions aimed at improving active extension may need to be implemented early after surgery to restore a normal gait pattern.

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Numerous clinical tests to diagnose superior labral anterior and posterior (SLAP) lesions of the glenoid labrum have been described. The current systematic review of the relevant literature was undertaken to ascertain the accuracy of these tests as determined by likelihood ratios. Searching of electronic databases yielded 16 papers that had reported test accuracy on a total of 16 separate clinical tests for SLAP lesions, and some combinations of these tests. Although many tests appeared to be highly accurate when initially reported, all tests that had been evaluated by authors other than those who devised the test typically showed poor levels of accuracy in subsequent studies. The results of this review suggest that no one clinical test can be recommended for use in clinical practice to diagnose accurately the presence or absence of a SLAP lesion. It is possible that further investigations into the anatomical basis of these tests may explain the variability in accuracy.