Table 3

Frequency of positive findings and the reliability of clinical examination items

Test

Frequency

Kappa

(Standard error)

Test

Frequency

Kappa

(Standard error)

MMT

PALPATION

C4

0/31

0%

NA

Median, upper arm

7/31

22.6%

0.50 (0.18)

C5

4/31

12.9%

0.53 (0.18)

Median, wrist

6/31

19.4%

0.79 (0.18)

C6

6/31

19.4%

0.90 (0.18)

Radial, upper arm

8/31

25.8%

0.66 (0.18)

C7

2/31

6.5%

0.45 (0.15)

Radial, distal radius

5/31

16.1%

0.67 (0.18)

C8

2/31

6.5%

0.64 (0.17)

Radial, snuff box

4/31

12.9%

0.61 (0.18)

T1

2/31

6.5%

1.00 (0.18)

Ulnar, upper arm

4/31

12.9%

0.36 (0.16)

Ulnar, cubital fossa

5/31

16.1%

0.59 (0.18)

SENSORY TESTING

Dermatomal

Non-dermatomal

4/31

9/31

12.9%

29.0%

0.53 (0.13)

Meta-analysis

Kappa (95% CI)

ULNT

ULNT_MEDIAN(1)

11/31

35.5%

0.54 (0.18)

MMT

0.68 (0.53, 0.83)

ULNT_MEDIAN(2a)

11/31

35.5%

0.46 (0.18)

ULNT

0.45 (0.27, 0.63)

ULNT_RADIAL(2b)

10/31

31.3%

0.44 (0.18)

Palpation

0.59 (0.46, 0.72)

ULNT_ULNAR(3)

12/31

38.7%

0.36 (0.18)

ULNT: Upper limb neurodynamic test, MMT: Manual muscle test, CI: confidence interval

Schmid et al. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2009 10:11   doi:10.1186/1471-2474-10-11