Note: [*] School of Allied Health, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, and Department of Rehabilitation, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT.
Note: [**] Address reprint requests to Richard W. Bohannon, PT, EdD, NCS, School of Allied Health, U-101, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-2101.
Note: [***] Mount Sinai Hospital, Hartford, CT.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the comparability of measures of knee extension strength (force) obtained with a hand-held dynamometer by two examiners of similar strength but substantially different experience. The knee extension force of 24 subjects was measured twice unilaterally by each of the two examiners. A two-way analysis of variance revealed no significant difference between examiners or across trials in the magnitude of knee extension force measured. Each examiner's repeated measurements were highly reliable [intraclass correlation coefficient (3, 1) ≥ .950]. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the mean of the two examiners' measurements was also high (.948). The results suggest that, when examiners possess adequate strength, high intrarater and interrater reliability are possible for measurements of knee extension strength. Tester experience was not shown to be critical to such reliability.
