Reliability of the box and block test of manual dexterity for use with patients with fibromyalgia.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine the reliability of the Box and Block (B&B) Test of Manual Dexterity for upper-extremity function in patients with fibromyalgia and to compare their results with those of healthy control participants. METHOD We assessed reliability of the B&B Test within and between testers using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). We compared fibromyalgia patient (n = 30) and control group (n = 30) scores using analysis of variance and population-based normative data. RESULTS The B&B Test was reliable with ICCs of .90 to .85. Fibromyalgia patients' B&B Test scores were significantly lower (more impaired) than those of the control group and standardized norms. CONCLUSIONS The B&B Test is a reliable measure of upper-extremity function in fibromyalgia patients and is able to reveal a reduction in upper-extremity function in these patients compared with both healthy control participants and normative scores.

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