Aging Clinical and Experimental Research · Aug 23, 2017
Reducing measurement errors during functional capacity tests in elders
By da Silva ME, Orssatto LBDR, Bezerra ES et al.
BACKGROUND: Accuracy is essential to the validity of functional capacity measurements. AIM: To evaluate the error of measurement of functional capacity tests for elders and suggest the use of the technical error of measurement and credibility coefficient. METHODS: Twenty elders (65.8 ± 4.5 years) completed six functional capacity tests that were simultaneously filmed and timed by four evaluators by means of a chronometer. A fifth evaluator timed the tests by analyzing the videos (reference data). RESULTS: The means of most evaluators for most tests were different from the reference (p < 0.05), except for two evaluators for two different tests. There were different technical error of measurement between tests and evaluators. The Bland-Altman test showed difference in the concordance of the results between methods. Short duration tests showed higher technical error of measurement than longer tests. In summary, tests timed by a chronometer underestimate the real results of the functional capacity. DISCUSSION: Difference between evaluators' reaction time and perception to determine the start and the end of the tests would justify the errors of measurement. CONCLUSION: Calculation of the technical error of measurement or the use of the camera can increase data validity.