Reliability of stabilised commercial dynamometers for measuring hip abduction strength: a pilot study

Abstract

Background: Reliable quantification of hip abductor strength in a clinical setting is challenging. Objectives: To examine the intrarater and interrater reliability of three commonly used commercial dynamometers in the measurement of hip abduction. Methods: Supine gravity minimised measures of unilateral hip abduction strength were recorded in 10 women (mean (SD) age 23.5 (1.9) years) using three different commercially available dynameters. Measurements were repeated over a three day period with a different device used on each day. Results: Intrarater reliability ranged from 0.880 to 0.958 across the three devices, and measures of interrater reliability ranged from 0.899 to 0.948. Conclusion: Commercially available dynamometers can be used to quantify hip abduction strength with good to excellent reliability. A previously undescribed method of quantifying hip abduction strength in a clinical setting using readily available instrumentation is presented.

Hip Pain and Mobility Deficits — Hip Osteoarthritis: Clinical Practice Guidelines Linked to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Healthfrom the Orthopaedic Section of the American Physical Therapy Association

“…101 Nature of variable Continuous Units of measurement Force in Newtons Measurement properties Interrater and intrarater reliability of force measurements obtained from college age women we re excel lent using a handheld dynamometer for the abductor muscles (intrarater ICC, .88–.96; interrater ICC, .90–.95). 31 Force measurements of hip abductors in 22 individuals with hip OA demonstrated good intrarater test-retest reliability (ICC of .84). 152 The MDC 95 , determined from a sample of 90 subjects (age range, 22–70 years) without any previous musculoskeletal problems, was 5.4% of body weight for males and 5.3% of body weight for females.…”

Description of a Weight-Bearing Method to Assess Hip Abductor and External Rotator Muscle Performance

“…doi:10.2519/jospt.2013 with bilateral hip pain. 4 Third, motordriven dynamometers are expensive and immobile, making them impractical in many clinical settings. Fourth, the nonweight-bearing testing position does not replicate the typical function of the hip abductor muscles during weight bearing, which work in conjunction with the hip external rotators when the hip joint is in a flexed position.…”

The Effect of Sex and Age on Isokinetic Hip-Abduction Torques

“…12–16 Cahalan et al 17 examined isokinetic hip abduction in a standing position, but that study was not performed on the higher-risk athletic adolescent population. The assessment of hip strength with the previously mentioned techniques (side-lying or supine) may not be ideal for determining the relationship of hip strength to noncontact ACL injuries that occur during dynamic weight bearing.…”