COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN ELECTROGONIOMETRY AND DIGITAL PHOTOGRAMMETRY

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the digital photogrammetry replicability compared to electrogoniometry on the elbow flexion movement. Material and Methods: The sample was composed by 20 healthy and active subjects (8 men and 12 women; 20.1 ± 1.7 years; 60.9 ± 9.3 kg and 169.0 ± 8.8 cm), submitted to electrogoniometry and digital photogrammetry. The subjects were in sitting position with the right arm resting on a table; the shoulder was flexed at 90 degrees with a supinated forearm. The elbow flexion angle was measured with and without fixing the electrogoniometer in three different positions (closed, intermediate, open) randomly, using a manual goniometer (CARCI) adapted with a linear potentiometer and a digital camera (Sony, DSC-S750), and subsequently processed in the Biomed and Fisio Office softwares, respectively. Data were analyzed on the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS – 15.0) using the intra-class correlation (ICC) test to evaluate the reproducibility of the electrogoniometry and photogrammetry measures, inter-evaluators and inter-instruments. Results: It was observed a strong reproducibility of the electrogoniometry and photogrammetry for all measures, inter-evaluators (ICC>0.85; P<0.01) and inter-instruments (ICC>0.93; P<0.01). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the digital photogrammetry has high levels of reliability, both inter-evaluators and inter-instruments and thus can be used for physical therapy practice. DESCRIPTORS Goniometry. Photogrammetry. Range of Motion, Articular.