Determining the reliability of craniocervical flexion test in asymptomatic individuals

Abstract

Background: The inter-rater reliability of the craniocervical flexion test (CCFT) has not been established. Objective: To investigate the intra-rater and inter-rater reliabilities of the CCFT in asymptomatic subjects. Methods: Sixty asymptomatic subjects were randomly selected for the study. The CCFT was measured on each subject by two testers for inter-rater reliability and by one of the testers after a gap of seven days for the intra-rater reliability. Before testing, the participants were trained for the movement and compensations were corrected. Results: The CCFT has high inter-rater reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient = 0.907, standard error of mean = 0.735) and high intra-rater reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient = 0.986, standard error of mean = 0.287). A Bland & Altman limits of agreement analysis has confirmed the high inter- and intra-rater reliabilities of the test. Conclusion: The CCFT has high inter-rater and intra-rater reliabilities in asymptomatic subjects.

Keywords

• Craniocervical flexion test
• deep cervical flexors
• reliability