The intertester reliability of the scapular assistance test

Study Design: Test-retest reliability study. Objective: To determine interrater reliability of the modified scapular assistance test (SAT). The modified SAT is designed to assess the contribution of scapular motion to shoulder pain. Background: Abnormal scapular motion has been implicated in different shoulder disorders. However, there is a lack of clinical evaluation tools to assess the scapular component of shoulder dysfunction. Methods and Measures: Forty-six subjects who were referred to physical therapy for treatment of various shoulder pathologies were recruited for this study. The modified SAT was performed on each participant by 2 different examiners. Percent agreement and kappa coefficient were utilized to determine interrater reliability of the modified SAT. Results: The kappa coefficient and percent agreement were .53 and 77%, respectively, when the test was performed in the scapular plane, and .62 and 91%, respectively, when the test was performed in the sagittal plane. Conclusions: The modified SAT possesses acceptable interrater reliability for clinical use.