Reliability of a new computerized equinometer based on Silfverskiold test to measure gastrocnemius tightness.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Several tools exist to measure tightness of the gastrocnemius muscles; however, few of them are reliable enough to be used routinely in the clinic. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the intra- and inter-rater reliability of a new equinometer. The secondary objective was to determine the load to apply on the plantar surface of the metatarsal heads to achieve the highest reliability when measuring gastrocnemius tightness.

Methods

The equinometer consisted of a goniometer and an electronic dynamometer, hooked up to a computer. Three raters carried out three trials of passive dorsiflexion by applying controlled pressure to the metatarsal heads of both ankles in 29 healthy subjects under two experimental conditions: knee extended (KE) and knee flexed

SUBMITTER: Martinez L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10096190 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature