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.

Key Words: Cerebral palsy, Gait, Kinematics, Observer variation, Physical therapy techniques, Rehabilitation