Intratester and Intertester Reliability and Validity of Measures of Innominate Bone Inclination

Abstract

Determination of innominate bone inclination in standing is frequently assessed in postural analysis of subjects. Currently, no goniometer for objective assessment of innominate bone inclination in standing is commercially available. The purpose of this study was to determine the intratester and intertester reliability and validity of measures taken with a pelvic inclinometer. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for repeated measures of the pelvic inclinometer fixed to a mechanical model was 0.99. The intertester reliability of using the hand-held pelvic inclinometer to determine inclination on a mechanical model was ICC = 0.99. In measures of 20 male subjects by three testers, the ICC for intertester reliability was 0.95 and the range of ICCs for intratester measures was 0.92-0.96. Measures by the inclinometer had a high degree of reliability compared with the criterion roentgenographic measure, ICC = 0.93. Measurement of the inclination of both left and right innominate bones of a subject required only 2 minutes, indicating clinical applicability.