iPhone measurements correlated well with scoliometer measurements .
2D photography results had a moderate to high correlation with 3D topography results .
Conclusions Overall , strong levels of evidence exist for iPhone and scoliometer measurements , with a high to very high reliability and moderate to very high validity .
Limited evidence exists for aesthetic tools TRACE and AI and 2D photography .
These results indicate there are accurate and reproducible anthropometric measures that are inexpensive and applicable in therapy setting s to assess postural asymmetry ; however , these only exist for measurement in the transverse plane , despite 3D characteristics of AIS .
Abstract Purpose As accurate and reproducible measurements of spinal curvature are crucial in the examination of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis ( AIS ) , this systematic review aims to report on the reliability and validity of a range of inexpensive and easily administered anthropometric methods of postural asymmetry measurement in an AIS population , to inform practice in a clinical setting .
Reliability of a quantitative clinical posture assessment tool among persons with idiopathic scoliosis.
OBJECTIVE To determine overall , test-retest and inter-rater reliability of posture indices among persons with idiopathic scoliosis . DESIGN A reliability study using two raters and two test sessions . SETTING Tertiary care paediatric centre . PARTICIPANTS Seventy participants aged between 10 and 20 years with different types of idiopathic scoliosis ( Cobb angle 15 to 60 ° ) were recruited from the scoliosis clinic . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Based on the XY co-ordinates of natural reference points ( e.g. , eyes ) as well as markers placed on several anatomical l and marks ,  32 angular and linear posture indices taken from digital photographs in the st and ing position were calculated from a specially developed software program . Generalisability theory served to estimate the reliability and st and ard error of measurement ( SEM ) for the overall , test-retest and inter-rater design s. Bl and and Altman 's method was also used to document agreement between sessions and raters . RESULTS In the r and om design , dependability coefficients demonstrated a moderate level of reliability for six posture indices ( ϕ=0.51 to 0.72 ) and a good level of reliability for 26 posture indices out of 32 ( ϕ≥0.79 ) . Error attributable to marker placement was negligible for most indices . Limits of agreement and SEM values were larger for shoulder protraction , trunk list , Q angle , cervical lordosis and scoliosis angles . The most reproducible indices were waist angles and knee valgus and varus . CONCLUSIONS Posture can be assessed in a global fashion from photographs in persons with idiopathic scoliosis . Despite the good reliability of marker placement , other studies are needed to minimise measurement errors in order to provide a suitable tool for monitoring change in posture over time
iPhone measurements correlated well with scoliometer measurements .
2D photography results had a moderate to high correlation with 3D topography results .
Conclusions Overall , strong levels of evidence exist for iPhone and scoliometer measurements , with a high to very high reliability and moderate to very high validity .
Limited evidence exists for aesthetic tools TRACE and AI and 2D photography .
These results indicate there are accurate and reproducible anthropometric measures that are inexpensive and applicable in therapy setting s to assess postural asymmetry ; however , these only exist for measurement in the transverse plane , despite 3D characteristics of AIS .
Abstract Purpose As accurate and reproducible measurements of spinal curvature are crucial in the examination of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis ( AIS ) , this systematic review aims to report on the reliability and validity of a range of inexpensive and easily administered anthropometric methods of postural asymmetry measurement in an AIS population , to inform practice in a clinical setting .