Measurement of Intrarater Reliability and Interrater Reliability of a Portable Digital Pressure Algometer

The purpose of this study was to measure intrarater and interrater reliability of a portable digital pressure algometer. Fifty healthy subjects were recruited for this study. Pressure pain thresholds of splenius capitis, levator scapular, and upper trapezius muscles were measured using by FPK algometer and portable digital pressure algometer. Three trials were done on each subject by two examiners. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to determine the reliability of each measure. The intrarater reliability of the FPK algometer was good and excellent (ICC .63~.79) and the interrater reliability was poor and good (ICC .15~.57). The intrarater reliability of a portable digital pressure algometer was excellent (ICC .75~.86) and the interrater reliability was poor and good (ICC .35~.61). This result suggests that the intrarater reliability and interrater reliability of a portable digital pressure algometer were better than an FPK algometer.

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