TY - JOUR
T1 - Reliability problems associated with the modified schober technique for true lumbar flexion measurement
AU - Miller, Sandra A.
AU - Mayer, Tom
AU - Cox, Rebecca
AU - Gatchel, Robert Joseph
PY - 1992/1/1
Y1 - 1992/1/1
N2 - The modified Schober technique, a method for assessing lumbar spine flexion, was subjected to an analysis of reliability. Fifty normal subjects (21 men, 29 women) were evaluated for lumbar flexion mobility using a blind interrater “worst case” protocol. Simultaneously, other sources of error affecting test reliability, such as presence of dimples of Venus, relationship of skin distraction to movement of underlying structures, and upper level of Schober skin landmarks were also considered. Analysis suggested that systematic error can be introduced that adversely affects inter-rater reliability (r = 0.71). Moreover, skin landmarks are inconsistently present, being completely absent in 26% of cases. Skin tends to distract even over completely immobile bony structures (eg, the sacrum), whereas, on average, only 3.5 of the 6 spinal segments (T12-S1) are included in the Schober technique for purported measurement of “lumbar spine flexion.” The utility of this method is questioned on both scientific and clinical grounds.
AB - The modified Schober technique, a method for assessing lumbar spine flexion, was subjected to an analysis of reliability. Fifty normal subjects (21 men, 29 women) were evaluated for lumbar flexion mobility using a blind interrater “worst case” protocol. Simultaneously, other sources of error affecting test reliability, such as presence of dimples of Venus, relationship of skin distraction to movement of underlying structures, and upper level of Schober skin landmarks were also considered. Analysis suggested that systematic error can be introduced that adversely affects inter-rater reliability (r = 0.71). Moreover, skin landmarks are inconsistently present, being completely absent in 26% of cases. Skin tends to distract even over completely immobile bony structures (eg, the sacrum), whereas, on average, only 3.5 of the 6 spinal segments (T12-S1) are included in the Schober technique for purported measurement of “lumbar spine flexion.” The utility of this method is questioned on both scientific and clinical grounds.
KW - Inclinometers
KW - Lumbar flexion
KW - Lumbar spine mobility
KW - Range of motion
KW - Reliability
KW - Schober method
KW - Skin distraction
KW - Validity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0026574453&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/00007632-199203000-00017
DO - 10.1097/00007632-199203000-00017
M3 - Article
C2 - 1533063
AN - SCOPUS:0026574453
SN - 0362-2436
VL - 17
SP - 345
EP - 348
JO - Spine
JF - Spine
IS - 3
ER -