Only a limited number of the identified instruments for the assessment of impairments is both reliable and valid .
The objective of this study is to provide a critical overview of available instruments to assess impairments in patients with rheumatic disorders , and to recommend reliable and valid instruments for use in allied health care and rehabilitation medicine .
An electronic method for measuring joint tenderness in rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE To test the precision of a new electronic method for measuring joint tenderness . METHOD Joint tenderness was measured in 30 patients with rheumatoid arthritis , using an electronic dolorimeter . The results were compared with joint tenderness counts , which were made according to the American Rheumatism Association ( ARA ) methods . RESULTS The intra-observer variability using the electronic method was significantly decreased compared with the conventional ARA joint tenderness counts . CONCLUSION The electronic method is more efficient for use in clinical trials than is the conventional ARA joint tenderness count
Only a limited number of the identified instruments for the assessment of impairments is both reliable and valid .
The objective of this study is to provide a critical overview of available instruments to assess impairments in patients with rheumatic disorders , and to recommend reliable and valid instruments for use in allied health care and rehabilitation medicine .