Mellanie Geijen1, Eugene Rameckers1,2, Marlous Schnackers1,3, Carolien Bastiaenen4, Andrew Gordon5, Lucianne Speth2, Rob Smeets1,6. 1. a Research School CAPHRI, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , Maastricht University , Maastricht , The Netherlands. 2. b Centre of Expertise in Rehabilitation and Audiology , Adelante , Hoensbroek , The Netherlands. 3. c Behavioural Science Institute , Radboud University , Nijmegen , The Netherlands. 4. d Research School CAPHRI, Department of Epidemiology , Maastricht University , Maastricht , The Netherlands. 5. e Department of Biobehavioral Sciences , Teachers College Columbia University , New York , NY , USA. 6. f Libra Rehabilitation and Audiology , Eindhoven/Weert , The Netherlands.
Abstract
Aim: To examine reproducibility of the arm-hand strength measured while performing the bimanual crate task and the unimanual pitcher task. Methods: 105 children diagnosed with unilateral Cerebral Palsy, aged between 6 and 18 years, participated in this study. The test-retest reliability of the force generated during bimanual crate task and unimanual pitcher task of the Task-oriented Arm-hAnd Capacity instrument was investigated using intraclass correlation two-way random model with absolute agreement. The intraclass correlations were calculated for two age groups (6-12 and 13-18 years old). Results: The results showed good test-retest reliability for the crate and pitcher task with the non-affected hand for both age groups. The results of the pitcher task for the affected hand showed moderate test-retest reliability for both age groups. Conclusion: The Task-oriented Arm-hAnd Capacity instrument has moderate to good test-retest reliability. It is a simple and objective instrument to assess task-oriented strength in children with unilateral cerebral palsy.
Aim: To examine reproducibility of the arm-hand strength measured while performing the bimanual crate task and the unimanual pitcher task. Methods: 105 children diagnosed with unilateral Cerebral Palsy, aged between 6 and 18 years, participated in this study. The test-retest reliability of the force generated during bimanual crate task and unimanual pitcher task of the Task-oriented Arm-hAnd Capacity instrument was investigated using intraclass correlation two-way random model with absolute agreement. The intraclass correlations were calculated for two age groups (6-12 and 13-18 years old). Results: The results showed good test-retest reliability for the crate and pitcher task with the non-affected hand for both age groups. The results of the pitcher task for the affected hand showed moderate test-retest reliability for both age groups. Conclusion: The Task-oriented Arm-hAnd Capacity instrument has moderate to good test-retest reliability. It is a simple and objective instrument to assess task-oriented strength in children with unilateral cerebral palsy.