The intra- and interexaminer reliabilty of motion palpation of the patella

Abstract

Functional and pathological joint disorders are distinguished diagnostically through orthopaedic and functional assessment tests. Motion palpation is the procedure used to assess functional status of a joint. The methods used to validate this tool are inter- and intraexaminer reliabilty studies. The purpose of this study was to determine the intra- and interexaminer reliabilty of motion palpation of the patella. This randomised, single-blinded, prospective clinical reliability study included 50 chiropractic students, limited to first, second and third years due to subject naivety. Motion palpation of both patellae was assessed twice, one week apart, by four different examiners. The examiners were senior interns at the Durban Institute of Technology Chiropractic Faculty. Each had an assistant that recorded their motion palpation findings. Statistical analysis was completed under the supervision of Mr K. Thomas at Durban Institute of Technology. The results were analysed using non-parametric statistical tests such as Pearson's Chi-Square, McNemar's Test and Cohen's Kappa co-effecients.