Inter- and Intraobserver Repeatability of the Salford Gait Tool: An Observation-Based Clinical Gait Assessment Tool
Abstract
Toro B, Nester CJ, Farren PC. Inter- and intraobserver repeatability of the Salford Gait Tool: an observational-based clinical gait assessment tool.
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.
aDirectorate of Physiotherapy, University of Salford, Salford, England
bCentre for Rehabilitation and Human Performance Research, University of Salford, Salford, England.
Reprint requests to Christopher J. Nester, PhD, Centre for Rehabilitation and Human Performance Research, University of Salford, Salford, M6 6PU, England
No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the author(s) or upon any organization with which the author(s) is/are associated.
ABSTRACT