1Physiotherapy Program, Centre for Rehabilitation and Special Needs, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2Physiotherapy Program, Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, INTI International University, Nilai, 71800. Negeri Sembilan, West Malaysia
3Program, Department of Physiotherapy, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab
*Corresponding Author: Devinder Kaur Ajit Singh, Physiotherapy Program, Centre for Rehabilitation and Special Needs, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Email: devinder@ukm.edu.my
Online published on 19 August, 2019.
It is important to quantify postural misalignment to provide effective treatment. Web-plot digitizer software (WPDS) was developed for analysis of posture angles. However, the reliability of this software in quantifying head posture angles is not known.
Repeated-measure study.
A total of 31 participants were recruited. Head posture angles were measured using Photogrammetry method and analyzed using WPDS. Intra-rater evaluations were performed twice by a rater with a period of three weeks’ interval. Three raters reanalyzed all the photographic data for inter-rater reliability.
High level of reliability was demonstrated for intra-rater analysis in participants with and without neck pain with ICCs ranging from 0.92 to 0.99 (SEMs: 0.10 to 0.88; CV: 1.65 to 10.77). The inter-rater reliability between three raters was also high (ICCs: 0.98 to 0.99).
Excellent intra and inter-rater reliability was demonstrated using WPDS. WPDS can be used in clinical setting for head posture assessment.
Reliability, head posture angles, Web plot digitizer software
