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Inter- and intraobserver repeatability of the Salford Gait Tool: an observation-based clinical gait assessment tool.

, , and . Arch Phys Med Rehabil, 88 (3): 328--332 (March 2007)
DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2006.12.030

Abstract

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.

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