Measurement of active rotation in standing: Reliability of a simple test protocol

Interrater and intrarater reliability were evaluated for a test measuring active rotation range in a standing position. Subjects stood with their feet comfortably apart while a horizontal bar rested on their shoulders. A plumb bob attached to the end of the bar was allowed to drop to the floor, indicating maximal rotation range achieved. Two raters measured 24 subjects (M age = 35 +/- 14 yr.), who were sedentary office workers and active recreational golfers, on two occasions separated by two weeks to obtain values for left and right trunk rotation range. The test had good intrarater and interrater reliabilities, with standard error of measurement values varying from 5.6 degrees to 8.6 degrees against an overall mean range of 128 degrees. This simple active rotation test requires inexpensive equipment and could be incorporated into clinical examinations when there is a need to assess active rotation in standing with minimal constraints.