Inter- and intraobserver repeatability of the Salford Gait Tool: an observation based clinical gait assessment tool

Toro, B; Nester, CJ; Farren, PC

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the inter- and intraobserver repeatability of the Salford Gait Tool (SF-GT), a new observation-based gait assessment tool for evaluating sagittal plane cerebral palsy (CP) gait. DESIGN: Masked comparative evaluation. SETTING: University in the United Kingdom. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 23 pediatric physical therapists with varying degrees of clinical experience recruited from the Greater Manchester area. INTERVENTION: Participants viewed videotapes of the sagittal plane gait of 13 children and used the SF-GT to analyze their 13 different gait styles on 2 occasions. Eleven children had hemiplegic, diplegic, or quadriplegic CP and 2 were neurologically intact. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Inter- and intraobserver repeatability of hip, knee, and ankle joint positions at 6 different phases of the gait cycle. RESULTS: The SF-GT demonstrated good interobserver (77%) and intraobserver (75%) repeatability. CONCLUSIONS: We have established that the SF-GT is a repeatable clinical assessment tool with which to guide the diagnosis, treatment planning, and evaluation of interventions by pediatric physical therapists of sagittal plane gait deviations in CP.

Citation

Toro, B., Nester, C., & Farren, P. (2007). Inter- and intraobserver repeatability of the Salford Gait Tool: an observation based clinical gait assessment tool. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 88(3), 328-332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2006.12.030

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Mar 1, 2007
• Deposit Date: Aug 9, 2007
• Journal: Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• Print ISSN: 0003-9993
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 88
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 328-332
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2006.12.030
• Keywords: Cerebral palsy, gait, kinematics, observer variation, physical therapy techniques, rehabilitation
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2006.12.030