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Reducing measurement errors during functional capacity tests in elders

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Abstract

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.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Foundation for Research Support of the State of Amazonas (FAPEAM) for PhD scholarship conceded to ESB and Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) for MSc scholarship conceded to LBRO and PhD scholarship conceded to BMM.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Biomecânica, Centro de Desportos, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Reitor João David Ferreira Lima, Trindade, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, CEP 88040-900, Brazil

    Mariane Eichendorf da Silva, Lucas Bet da Rosa Orssatto, Ewertton de Souza Bezerra, Diego Augusto Santos Silva, Bruno Monteiro de Moura, Fernando Diefenthaeler & Cíntia de la Rocha Freitas

  2. Laboratório de Estudos do Desempenho Humano, Faculdade de Educação Física e Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Mini-Campus, Coroado II, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69080-005, Brazil

    Ewertton de Souza Bezerra

Authors
  1. Mariane Eichendorf da Silva
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  2. Lucas Bet da Rosa Orssatto
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  3. Ewertton de Souza Bezerra
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  4. Diego Augusto Santos Silva
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  5. Bruno Monteiro de Moura
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  6. Fernando Diefenthaeler
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  7. Cíntia de la Rocha Freitas
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cíntia de la Rocha Freitas.

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On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

Ethical approval was obtained from the local Human Research Ethics Committee (CAAE: 55528916.8.00000121), and the protocol was written in accordance with the standards set by the Declaration of Helsinki.

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da Silva, M.E., Orssatto, L.B.R., Bezerra, E.S. et al. Reducing measurement errors during functional capacity tests in elders. Aging Clin Exp Res 30, 595–603 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-017-0820-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-017-0820-x

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