Prosthetics/orthotics/devicesMyotonometer Intra- and Interrater Reliabilities1
Section snippets
Methods
All procedures were approved by the University of Montana Institutional Review Board for Use of Human Subjects and conformed to the Helsinki Declaration.
Myotonometer Force/Displacement Recordings
A total of 60 measurements were taken for each subject, 30 for the biceps brachii and 30 for the lateral gastrocnemius. Displacement measurements for the relaxed biceps brachii muscle ranged from 2.94mm at .25kg to 12.41mm at 2.00kg, whereas displacement for the contracted biceps brachii ranged from .38mm at .25kg to 9.18mm at 2.0kg. Displacement measurements for the relaxed lateral gastrocnemius muscle ranged from 1.92mm at .25kg to 11.19mm at 2.00kg, whereas displacement of the contracted
Discussion
Myotonometer measurements had very high intra- and interrater reliabilities for testing of isometrically contracted muscles and high to very high intra- and interrater reliabilities for testing of relaxed muscles. The exception was moderate reliability of measurements at the lowest force level of measurement (.25kg).
Hand-held and computerized isokinetic dynamometry provide more quantifiable muscle strength data than does the MMT. A summary of 18 studies that examined hand-held dynamometry
Conclusion
The Myotonometer is a reliable instrument for assessing muscle stiffness, tone, and compliance of the relaxed or contracted biceps brachii and lateral gastrocnemius muscles of nondisabled subjects. Its speed and ease of use approaches that of hand-held dynamometry. Myotonometer measurements provide quantifiable data that are not influenced by confounding variables such as tester strength, clinical experience of the tester, subject pain at high force levels, and muscle substitutions.
Acknowledgements
We gratefully acknowledge the technical assistance of Pamela Diedrich, Motor Control Research Laboratory, University of Montana, and Kathleen Miller, PhD, University of Montana, for statistical design assistance.
References (37)
- et al.
Spasticityquantitative measurement as a basis for assessing effectiveness of therapeutic intervention
Arch Phys Med Rehabil
(1989) - et al.
Objective quantification of spastic hypertoniacorrelation with clinical findings
Arch Phys Med Rehabil
(1992) - et al.
Assessing the spastic condition of individuals with upper motoneuron involvementvalidity of the Myotonometer
Arch Phys Med Rehabil
(2001) Pressure algometry over normal muscles. Standard values, validity and reproducibility of pressure threshold
Pain
(1987)- et al.
Measurement of rigidity in Parkinson’s disease
Mov Disord
(1997) - et al.
The utility of isokinetic dynamometry in the assessment of human muscle function
Sports Med
(1996) Examination and management of spasticity and weakness
Neurol Rep
(2001)- et al.
Quantitative measurement of spasticity in children with cerebral palsy
Dev Med Child Neurol
(1991) - et al.
Interrater reliability of a modified Ashworth scale of muscle spasticity
Phys Ther
(1987) - et al.
Spastic hypertoniamechanisms and measurement
Arch Phys Med Rehabil
(1989)
Spasticity measurement in strokea pilot study
Can J Public Health
Comparison of three methods to assess muscular strength in individuals with spinal cord injury
Spinal Cord
Manual muscle testing
Reliability of force measurement with a hand-held dynamometer in healthy subjects and force measurements in patients with poliomyelitis anterior acuta
J Rehabil Sci
Hand-held dynamometryfactors influencing reliability and validity
Clin Rehabil
Trunk extensor and flexor strength measured by the Cybex 6000 dynamometer
Spine
Changes in limb stiffness under conditions of mental stress
J Mot Behav
Strength and power assessment. Issues, controversies and challenges
Sports Med
Cited by (94)
Quantification of the forearm muscles mechanical properties using Myotonometer: Intra- and Inter-Examiner reliability and its relation with hand grip strength
2022, Journal of Electromyography and KinesiologyThe MyotonPRO: A reliable tool for quantifying the viscoelastic properties of a trigger point on the infraspinatus in non-traumatic chronic shoulder pain
2020, Journal of Bodywork and Movement TherapiesCitation Excerpt :Many studies have reported on the reliability and validity of the MyotonPRO for systematically measuring the viscoelastic properties over a skeletal muscle in different pathologies, but never over a specific area or a TP. Even if we studied MyotonPRO measurements over a precise spot (TP), our ICC values would be similar or even better than in previous studies (Bizzini and Mannion, 2003; Leonard et al., 2003; Chuang et al., 2012; Kerins et al., 2013; Pamukoff et al., 2016; Pruyn et al., 2016; Davidson et al., 2017) that have examined the reliability of the MyotonPRO in measuring various muscle bellies in different populations (healthy patients, patients with neurologic conditions, athletes, etc.). Kerins & al. (2013), was the only study that have measured the infraspinatus muscle and showed similar values for inter-evaluator reliability (ICC: 0.93–0.95).
Assessing the viscoelastic properties of upper trapezius muscle: Intra- and inter-tester reliability and the effect of shoulder elevation
2018, Journal of Electromyography and KinesiologySpasticity
2018, Braddom's Rehabilitation Care: A Clinical HandbookCurrent Concepts in Assessment and Management of Spasticity
2018, Stroke Rehabilitation
- 1
A commercial party with a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has conferred or will confer a financial benefit upon one or more of the authors.