Search Results (789)

Both chronic and recurrent spinal pain alter sensorimotor integration (SMI), which is demonstrated using complex neurophysiological techniques. Currently, there is no patient-reported outcome measure that documents and/or assesses SMI in populations with spinal problems. The purpose of this study was to develop the Sensory–Motor Dysfunction Questionnaire (SMD-Q) and assess its test–retest reliability and internal consistency in individuals with recurrent spinal pain. The SMD-Q was developed based on the existing literature on motor control disturbances associated with disordered SMI. The initial SMD-Q drafts underwent review by two separate panels of subject matter experts and a focus group with subclinical spine pain. Their suggestions were incorporated into the questionnaire prior to reliability testing. The questionnaire was administered twice at a seven-day interval using Qualtrics^TM. A total of 20 participants (14 females and 6 males; 20.95 ± 2.46 years of age) completed the study. Quadratic weighted kappa (K_w) was used to assess test–retest reliability and Cronbach’s alpha (α) was used to assess internal consistency. Four items had a K_w < 0.40, seven had a 0.40 < K_w < 0.75, and one had a K_w > 0.75 (excellent agreement), with excellent internal consistency (α > 0.90). The pilot SMD-Q appears to reliably measure altered SMI, suggesting that revisions and testing with a larger sample are worth pursuing. Full article

Objectives: Gait speed indicates the individual’s functional status and predicts overall health. This study aims to determine (1) the intra- and inter-rater and test–retest reliability of the dynamic 4 m gait speed test protocol; (2) establish the normative reference values of habitual and fast gait speeds in community-dwelling healthy Singaporean adults aged 21 to 80; and (3) explore the association of age, gender, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) on gait speed. Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study recruited healthy ambulatory community-dwelling Singaporeans aged 21 to 80 who could ambulate independently without aid. Participants were excluded if they required walking aids; were pregnant; or had physical, medical, or cognitive conditions that may affect gait. Each participant completed at least two habitual and fast gait speed test trials via a 4 m walkway with a dynamic start. The data were analysed by descriptive statistics, the Mann–Whitney test, the Spearman coefficient, and the interclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: In total, 178 males and 201 females were included in the data analysis. The median age was 45.0 years [interquartile range (IQR) 26.2–59.0], and the median height was 1.64 metres (m) (IQR 1.58–1.70). The median habitual gait speed was 1.08 metre/second (m/s) (IQR 0.97–1.22), and the fast gait speed was 1.55 m/s (IQR 1.40–1.70). The ICC for reliability ranged from 0.84 to 0.99, indicating that the 4 m gait speed test had good-to-excellent reliability. Conclusions: Gait speeds were not influenced by gender but declined with age advancement. Age and height and age and BMI were weakly correlated to habitual and fast gait speed, respectively. We established the norm values for the 4 m gait speeds in Singapore and proved it to be a reliable gait speed assessment ready for immediate community applications. Full article

Background: Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is an acquired disease with significant morbidity that affects both children and adults. Post-exertional malaise is a cardinal symptom of ME/CFS and impacts a patient’s functional capacity (FC). The absence of effective tools to assess FC has significant consequences for timely diagnosis, clinical follow-up, assessments for patient disability benefits, and research studies. In interventional studies, the inability to assess FC can result in an incomplete assessment of the potential benefit of the intervention, leading to beneficial treatment outcomes being missed. Methods: Using extensive, repeated patient feedback, we have developed a new questionnaire, FUNCAP, to accurately assess FC in ME/CFS patients. The questionnaire consists of eight domains divided by activity types: A. personal hygiene/basic functions, B. walking/movement, C. being upright, D. activities in the home, E. communication, F. activities outside the home, G. reactions to light and sound, and H. concentration. Results: Through five rounds of anonymous web-based surveys and a further test–retest validation round, two versions of the questionnaire were developed: a longer version comprising 55 questions (FUNCAP55), developed for improved diagnostic and disability benefit/insurance FC assessments; and a shorter version (FUNCAP27) for clinical patient follow-up and potential use in research. Good reliability and validity and negligible floor and ceiling effects were found, with comparable findings in all aspects in both a large Norwegian (n = 1263) and a separate English-language international sample (n = 1387) demonstrating the validity and reliability of FUNCAP. Conclusions: Our findings support the utility of FUNCAP as an effective, reliable and valid tool for assessing FC in ME/CFS patients. Full article

Background and Objectives: Knee pain, specifically patellofemoral pain (PFP), may lead to limitations in physical activity and social participation. Identifying knee pain that is attributed to PFP is not an easy job for healthcare professionals. To overcome this issue, The Survey Instrument for Natural History, Aetiology and Prevalence of Patellofemoral Pain (SNAPPS), which is a self-reporting questionnaire instrument, was designed to identify PFP in many languages. However, the Arabic version of the SNAPPS is not validated yet. This study was performed to assess the validity and reliability of the Arabic version of the SNAPPS (A-SNAPPS). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to achieve the study goals. To assess reliability, 38 participants were asked to complete the A-SNAPPS two times on the same day with a 30 min break in between. Convergent validity of the A-SNAPPS was assessed by exploring the correlations of the SNAPPS total score with the visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, including VAS for usual pain, VAS for worst pain, and VAS for pain during activities such as jumping, running, ascending and descending stairs, and squatting. Results: The validity test findings suggested that SNAPPS has a strong correlation with the VAS during ascending and descending stairs (r = 0.71) and moderate correlations during jumping (r = 0.54) and squatting (r = 0.57). The test–retest reliability ICC was 0.92, indicating a very strong test–retest reliability of the A-SNAPPS. Conclusions: The A-SNAPPS was cross-culturally adapted and validated, demonstrating very strong reliability. Full article

The Mediterranean diet (MD) and Western diet (WD) are poles apart as dietary patterns. Despite the availability of epidemiological tools to estimate the adherence to MD, to date, there is a lack of combined scores. We developed MEDOC, a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) designed to calculate a combined adherence score for both diets and validated it on 213 subjects. The test–retest reliability revealed all frequency questions falling within the acceptable range of 0.5 to 0.7 (Pearson correlation coefficient) in younger (<30 years old) subjects, while 1 question out of 39 fell below the range in older (>30 years old) participants. The reproducibility for portion size was less satisfying, with, respectively, 38.2% and 70.5% of questions falling below 0.5 (Cohen’s Kappa index) for younger and older subjects. The good correlation (R = 0.63, p < 0.0001 for subjects younger than 30 years and R = 0.54, p < 0.0001 for subjects older than 30 years, Pearson’s correlation coefficient) between the MEDOC score and the MediDietScore (MDS) confirmed the validity of the MEDOC score in identifying patients who adhere to the MD. Harnessing the capabilities of this innovative tool, we aim to broaden the existing perspective to study complex dietary patterns in nutritional epidemiology studies. Full article

Background: After a severe brain injury and a coma, patients may develop disorders of consciousness (DoC), frequently accompanied by severe dysphagia. The evaluation and therapy of swallowing are therefore essential aspects of their management. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the SWallowing Assessment in Disorders of Consciousness (SWADOC) tool in the assessment of swallowing in post-comatose patients. Here, we validate its quantitative items, describe preliminary results and identify limitations. Methods: Fourteen post-comatose patients were repeatedly evaluated with the Simplified Evaluation of CONsciousness Disorders (SECONDs) and with the SWADOC. Results: The internal consistency of the oral and pharyngeal subscales of the SWADOC was good. The test–retest reliability showed that all items, all subscores and the total score were stable except for two items (endo-buccal secretions and bronchial congestion). A comparison to the Facial Oral Tract Therapy Swallowing Assessment of Saliva (F.O.T.T-SAS) confirmed that scoring with the SWADOC offers a greater potential for quantitative observations in assessing swallowing abilities among patients with DoC. The SECONDs scores and SWADOC total scores showed a significant positive correlation (τ = 0.78, p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study provides preliminary but encouraging results on the psychometric properties of the SWADOC tool. It shows that this tool is relevant and feasible as a bedside assessment of dysphagia in patients with DoC. Full article

Background: There is a consensus among combat sports researchers regarding the important role of evaluating the comprehensive special fitness and performance of athletes. This is due to the specific structure of tasks performed in these sports as they require a comprehensive and integrated function of broadly understood physical fitness. The present study aimed to develop and check the Special Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Fitness Test: Takedown Zone (SBJJFT-TZ), Gi formula’s reliability. The major task of this sport-specific tool is to illustrate the comprehensive special fitness and performance of professional Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes. Methods: The study covered 27 BJJ athletes (age in years: 25.36 ± 2.99; height: 175.04 ± 5.70 cm; weight: 76.56 ± 8.59 kg; BMI: 24.96 ± 2.30; 6.33 ± 2.51 years of training) with a high sports skill level. A coaches’ ranking of the athletes studied according to sports achievement was developed. An experimental approach to the problem was employed, with the SBJJFT-TZ assessment, including throws and specialized locomotion, performed on two dates (seven days apart). The test parameters were recorded and, using a specialized formula, an index showing comprehensive special fitness was calculated. To verify the test’s validity and reliability, using statistical procedures, the results were comparatively analyzed (Student’s t-test for the dependent variables), and the relationships between rankings were examined (Pearson’s r linear correlation). The level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: The analyses showed statistically significant relationships with very high strength between coach ranking and SBJJFT-TZ parameters for both dates (R = 0.73–0.88; p < 0.001). A similar trend of significant correlations was noted between the first and second SBJJFT-TZ dates (R = 0.96–0.98; p < 0.001), and the strength of the coexistence was almost complete. The test-retest procedure for SBJJFT-TZ showed similar levels for the parameters studied, without significant variation (p > 0.05) but with a weak effect profile (d = 0.03–0.06). Internal variation in the variables was very low (HR CV < 10%) and moderate (Throws and Index CV = 20.82–32.25%). Significantly different throwing performance between sets was shown, with an advantage in the first round of work compared to the second, and a moderate effect (p < 0.05; d = 0.38–0.39). Conclusions: The identification of relationships, the comparison, and the test-retest procedure showed the high application value of SBJJFT-TZ. The proposed tool provides a reliable cross-sectional evaluation of BJJ athletes’ special fitness and performance in the stand-up fighting plane, as well as at the moment of achieving an advantage over the opponent, and favors implementation in field conditions. Full article

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating and chronic disease with variable neurological symptoms. There are different scales that score the level of disability, but only few papers have taken into consideration the 5-times sit-to-stand (5STS) test and the 30 s chair stand test (30CST), which are valid and easily obtainable indicators of other neurological diseases. The aim of our research is to verify the validity, reproducibility, and responsiveness of these tests. Patients afflicted with MS were enrolled in the AISM outpatient facility. The inclusion criterion was an EDSS score less than 6.5. We performed the 5STS, 30CST, and timed 25-foot walk (T25-FW) tests and recorded EDSS scores in the first evaluation. Then, we recorded the performance after 5 days (conducted by a second blind operator to ensure test–retest reproducibility), and the last evaluation was made after 12 sessions of physiotherapy. We recruited 38 patients diagnosed with MS. The results show significant data regarding validity, reproducibility, and responsiveness for both scales. The data argue in favor of adding these tests to the relevant clinical assessments. These two tests are simple, reliable, and easy to administer, and the data confirm that they can be included in the evaluation of patients with MS. Full article

A longitudinal design was used to examine the psychometric properties of the Self-Efficacy for Diabetes Self-Management (SEDM) for children and adolescents with a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes (T1D). The SEDM was adapted to Spanish and the best factorial solution was selected to test the invariance of the measures of age and gender. Individuals between the ages of 10 and 19 years old with a diagnosis of T1D completed a self-reported questionnaire (167 at Time 1 [mean age = 14.49, SD = 2.76; 56.9% boys] and 122 at Time 2 [mean age = 14.77, SD = 2.58; 56.6% boys]). Two unifactorial solutions were tested. The psychometric properties of the scale were validated. The proposed validation obtained excellent reliability indices (χ² (26) = 25.59, p > 0.49, RMSEA = 0.00, 95% CI [0.00, 0.07], CFI = 1.00, GFI = 0.96, AGFI = 0.92, TLI = 1.00, and CMIN = 0.98), and it appeared to be invariant for gender and for age groups. The Cronbach’s α was 0.85. The test–retest reliability was high (r = 0.69 [p < 0.001]). Convergent, discriminant, and external validity were proven. The nine-item SEDM is a brief measure with satisfactory structural validity. From our knowledge, this study provides the first reliable tool to assess self-efficacy in the management of T1D for Spanish children and adolescents. Full article

Reliable and valid data on physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) are needed for implementing evidence-based interventions and policies. Monitoring of these behaviors is based on PA questionnaires (PAQs) and device-based measurements, but their comparability is challenging. The present study aimed to investigate the test–retest reliability and concurrent validity of Finnish versions of the widely used PAQs (IPAQ-SF, EHIS-PAQ, GPAQ, Eurobarometer) and to compare their data with accelerometer data. This study is based on the Finnish data of the European Union Physical Activity and Sport Monitoring project (EUPASMOS). Participants (n = 62 adults, 62% women) answered the PAQs twice, one week apart, and wore an accelerometer for these seven consecutive days. Intraclass correlations, Spearman’s rank correlations, t-tests, and Cohen’s kappa with bootstrap confidence intervals were used to analyze the data. The PAQs had typically moderate-to-good test–retest reliability (ICC 0.22–0.78), GPAQ, EHIS-PAQ,and Eurobarometer showing the highest reliability. The PAQs correlated with each other when assessing sitting and vigorous PA (R = 0.70–0.97) and had a fair-to-substantial agreement when analyzing adherence to the PA recommendations (74–97%, Cohen’s Kappa 0.25–0.73). All the PAQs had a poor criterion validity against the accelerometry data. The Finnish versions of the PAQs are reliable and moderately valid for assessing PA, adherence to PA recommendations and sitting among adult participants. However, the poor criterion validity against accelerometer data indicates that PAQs assess different aspects of PA constructs compared to accelerometry. Full article

(1) Background: The goal of this study was to analyze the reliability and validity of the Portuguese version of the SARC-F in older adults. (2) Methods: A total of 100 participants (77.1 ± 7.36 years, 73% women) were included in the study. In a first phase, the Portuguese SARC-F was adapted following the standardized forward–backward translation procedure, and internal consistency as well as inter-rater and test–retest reliability of the Portuguese SARC-F were analyzed. Secondly, clinical validation was evaluated by comparing the SARC-F total score with five operational definitions of sarcopenia and with other sarcopenia-related measurements. Discriminant validity, with respect to low muscle mass and strength and physical function were analyzed. (3) Results: The Portuguese SAR-F showed acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.82), excellent inter-rater reliability (total score), and substantial to excellent test–retest reliability (ICC = 0.891 for the total score). Specificity ranged from 72.5% (FNIH) to 73.4 (IGWS), and negative predictive values went from 91.8% (EWGSOP1) to 97.3% (FNIH), but low sensitivity and positive predictive value were observed. The Portuguese SARC-F showed a moderate ability to discriminate people with low muscle strength (AUC = 0.78) and gait speed (AUC = 0.89). (4) Conclusions: The Portuguese SARC-F is a valid and reliable tool for ruling out sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults and can discriminate between people with low handgrip strength and gait speed. Full article

We assessed the test–retest reliability and discriminative ability of a somatosensory temporal discrimination (SSTD) assessment tool for fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and determined if pain-related variables were associated with SSTD performance. Twenty-five women with FMS and twenty-five asymptomatic women were assessed during two sessions 7 to 10 days apart. The proportion of correct responses (range 0–100) was calculated. Sociodemographic information was collected for both groups. The participants with FMS also completed the widespread pain index and the Brief Pain Inventory. Test–retest reliability was verified by calculating intraclass correlation coefficients. Discriminative ability was verified by a between-group comparison of scores using a t-test. Associations between SSTD score and pain variables were tested using Pearson or Spearman correlation coefficients. The test–retest reliability of the SSTD score was excellent (ICC > 0.9, CI: 0.79–0.96) for the asymptomatic group and good for the FMS group (ICC: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.62–0.91). The median (Q1–Q3) test session SSTD score differed significantly between the FMS 84.1 (71–88) and the asymptomatic 91.6 (83.4–96.1) groups (p < 0.001). Only pain duration was associated with the SSTD score. In conclusion, the new SSTD test seems reliable for people with FMS and is discriminative. Further studies should examine its sensitivity to change and correlations with other SSTD tests. Full article

Background: Pole dancing is a physically demanding sport that combines dance and acrobatic movements on a vertical pole. Despite its highly growing popularity, there is currently limited research in the field. The aim of this study was to create and evaluate a strength assessment protocol for athletes in pole dancing, with a specific focus on functional positions on the pole. Methods: Thirty-two female pole dancing athletes participated in this study. Maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC) were measured at three different sport-specific positions on the pole (shoulder abduction and adduction, and hip adduction), on two separate days (test and re-test) with a five to seven day interval between them. A hand-held dynamometer (Activ5- Activbody) stabilized on the pole was used for this study. Results: The intra-session reliability was good to excellent for all sports-specific positions and for both sides of the body, across all different movements (ICC = 0.837–0.960, SEM = 5.02 Kg–2.24 Kg, and SDD = 27.46%–14.92%). Slightly better results were found regarding inter-session reliability (ICC = 0.927–0.970, SEM = 3.72 Kg–1.97 Kg, and SDD = 22.86%–15.19%). There was not a statistically significant difference between the MVICs between the left and right or dominant and non-dominant side in shoulder abduction (p = 0.105) and hip adduction (p = 0.282), in contrast to shoulder adduction (p = 0.00). Conclusion: The strength assessment protocol developed in the current study has proven to be a reliable and functional tool, with the potential for utilization in clinical practice as part of objective strength testing. Further studies are needed in order to expand the protocol to other muscle groups and positions and to generalize the results in all pole dancing populations such as male athletes. Full article

Psychological distance from climate change has emerged as an important construct in understanding sustainable behavior and attempts to mitigate and/or adapt to climate change. Yet, few measures exist to assess this construct and little is known about the properties of the existing measures. In this article, the author conducted two studies of a psychological distance measure developed by Wang and her colleagues. In Study 1, the author assessed the test–retest reliability of the measure over a two-week interval and found the scores to be acceptably stable over time. In Study 2, the author conducted two exploratory factor analyses, using different approaches to the correlation and factor extraction. Similar results were observed for each factor analysis: one factor was related to items that specified greater psychological distance from climate change; a second factor involved items that specified closeness to climate change; and a third involved the geographic/spatial distance from climate change. The author discussed the results and provided recommendations on ways that the measure may be used to research the construct of psychological distance from climate change. Full article

Background: With increased life expectancy, the coexistence of functional impairment and multimorbidity can negatively impact life quality and coherence in geriatric individuals. The self-report 10-item Internal Coherence (ICS) measures how individuals cope with and make sense of disease-specific life challenges. The aim of this study was to validate the ICS in a sample of geriatric individuals. Methods and Procedure: In a cross-sectional study, geriatric individuals with and without chronic diseases were recruited. A factor analysis with principal component extraction (PCA) and a structural equation model (SEM) was conducted to assess the ICS factor structure in a geriatric sample. To measure convergent validity, the following scales were used: Short Health Survey (SF-12), Karnofsky Performance Index (KPI), Trait autonomic regulation (Trait aR), Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC), and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Results: A sample of n = 104 (70–96 years of age) patients with Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 (n = 22), cancer diseases (n = 31) and healthy controls (n = 51) completed the ICS. PCA and SEM yielded the original two-factor solution: 1. Inner resilience and coherence and 2. Thermo coherence. Overall internal consistency for this cohort was satisfying (Cronbach’s α with r_α = 0.72), and test-retest reliability was moderate (r_rt = 0.53). ICS scores were significantly correlated to all convergent criteria ranging between r = 0.22 * and 0.49 ** (p < 0.05 *; p < 0.01 **). Conclusion: Study results suggest that the ICS appears to be a reliable and valid tool to measure internal coherence in a geriatric cohort (70–96 years). However, moderate test-retest reliability prompts the consideration of potential age-effects that may bias the reliability for this specific cohort. Full article