Abstract
BackgroundA clinical study was conducted to determine the intra and inter-rater reliability of digital scanning and the neutral suspension casting technique to measure six foot parameters. The neutral suspension casting technique is a commonly utilised method for obtaining a negative impression of the foot prior to orthotic fabrication. Digital scanning offers an alternative to the traditional plaster of Paris techniques.MethodsTwenty one healthy participants volunteered to take part in the study. Six casts and six digital scans were obtained from each participant by two raters of differing clinical experience. The foot parameters chosen for investigation were cast length (mm), forefoot width (mm), rearfoot width (mm), medial arch height (mm), lateral arch height (mm) and forefoot to rearfoot alignment (degrees). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to determine the intra and inter-rater reliability. Measurement error was assessed through the calculation of the standard error of the measurement (SEM) and smallest real difference (SRD).ResultsICC values for all foot parameters using digital scanning ranged between 0.81-0.99 for both intra and inter-rater reliability. For neutral suspension casting technique inter-rater reliability values ranged from 0.57-0.99 and intra-rater reliability values ranging from 0.36-0.99 for rater 1 and 0.49-0.99 for rater 2.ConclusionsThe findings of this study indicate that digital scanning is a reliable technique, irrespective of clinical experience, with reduced measurement variability in all foot parameters investigated when compared to neutral suspension casting.
Highlights
A clinical study was conducted to determine the intra and inter-rater reliability of digital scanning and the neutral suspension casting technique to measure six foot parameters
The results demonstrated no statistically significant difference between the experienced and inexperienced clinicians, signifying that level of experience did not affect the accuracy of casting outcomes
Intra-rater reliability The results for the intra-rater reliability analysis (ICC), 95% confidence intervals (CI), standard error of the measurement (SEM) values and smallest real difference (SRD) for neutral suspension casting and digital scanning are presented in Table 1 and 2
Summary
A clinical study was conducted to determine the intra and inter-rater reliability of digital scanning and the neutral suspension casting technique to measure six foot parameters. Casting the foot using plaster of Paris in a supine or prone position has traditionally been viewed as the gold standard technique for obtaining a negative impression of the foot [2]. The numerous technical components requiring proficiency for the success of the technique may explain the reported variation and the reliability issues of casts produced by the technique. These technical issues have lead to the development of new techniques to replicate foot parameters prior to orthoses manufacture.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
