Reliability and agreement of 5 Ergo-Kit functional capacity evaluation lifting tests in subjects with low back pain.

Abstract

To assess interrater reliability and agreement of 5 Ergo-Kit functional capacity evaluation lifting tests in subjects with low back pain (LBP). Within-subjects design, with 2 repeated measurements. Academic medical center in The Netherlands. Twenty-four subjects (10 men, 14 women) with LBP. Not applicable. Five Ergo-Kit lifting tests (2 isometric, 3 dynamic) were assessed on 2 occasions (t1, t2), by 2 different raters (R1, R2). The interval between the test sessions was 3 days. Interrater reliability level was expressed with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and the level of agreement between raters with the standard error (SE) of measurement. ICCs means (reliability) of isometric and dynamic Ergo-Kit lifting tests ranged from .94 to .97, and SE of measurement values (agreement) ranged from 1.9 to 8.6 kg. There was good reliability and agreement between raters of the isometric and dynamic Ergo-Kit lifting tests in subjects with LBP, which supports the use of these tests to assess functional lifting capacity.