Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development

  • Year: 2019
  • Volume: 10
  • Issue: 7

Intra and Inter-Rater Reliability of Web Plot Digitizer Software in Quantifying Head Posture Angles

  • Author:
  • Yughdtheswari Muniandy1,2, Devinder Kaur Ajit Singh1,, Suresh Mani1,3, Baharudin Omar1
  • Total Page Count: 6
  • Page Number: 745 to 750

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.

Abstract

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.

Keywords

Reliability, head posture angles, Web plot digitizer software