Test-retest reliability of a handheld dynamometer for measurement of isometric cervical muscle strength

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

There is a lack of test-retest reliability studies of measurements of cervical muscle strength, taking into account gender and possible learning effects.

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate test-retest reliability of measurement of maximal isometric cervical muscle strength by handheld dynamometry.

METHODS:

Thirty women (age 20–58 years) and 28 men (age 20–60 years) participated in the study. Maximal isometric strength (neck flexion, neck extension, and right/left lateral flexion) was measured on three separate days at least five days apart by one evaluator.

RESULTS:

Intra-rater consistency tended to improve from day 1–2 measurements to day 2–3 measurements in both women and men. In women, the intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) for day 2 to day 3 measurements were 0.91 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.82–0.95) for neck flexion, 0.88 (95% CI, 0.76–0.94) for neck extension, 0.84 (95% CI, 0.68–0.92) for right lateral flexion, and 0.89 (95% CI, 0.78–0.95) for left lateral flexion. The corresponding ICCs among men were 0.86 (95% CI, 0.72–0.93) for neck flexion, 0.93 (95% CI, 0.85–0.97) for neck extension, 0.82 (95% CI, 0.65–0.91) for right lateral flexion and 0.73 (95% CI, 0.50–0.87) for left lateral flexion.

CONCLUSION:

This study describes a reliable and easy-to-administer test for assessing maximal isometric cervical muscle strength.