Reliability of a New Test of Levator Scapula Muscle Length

Reliability of a New Test of Levator Scapula Muscle Length

Background Shortened levator scapula (LS) is a major cause of neck and shoulder pain and reduced motor function. Therefore, measuring LS muscle length is a key element in evaluating patients with shoulder dysfunction. Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the intra- and inter-rater reliability of a newly designed levator scapular length test (LSLT). Study design Intra- and inter-tester repeated measures. Methods We recruited 28 participants in this study. Subjects were divided into two groups: normal scapula length and shortened scapula length. The LS index (LSI) and LSLT were applied twice by one examiner and once by a different examiner. The intraclass correlation coefficient was used to assess intra- and inter-rater reliability of the LSI and LSLT. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to evaluate the correlation between the tests. Results The intra-rater reliability scores of LSI and LSLT were 0.95 and 0.98, and the inter-rater test reliability scores were 0.96 and 0.98, respectively. The correlation coefficient was 0.63, indicating a moderate relationship between tests. Conclusions These findings suggest that LSLT is a reliable method for measuring LS length in clinical practice.