Comparison of two sagittal pelvic tilt measurement protocols using newly calibrated novel pelvic sensor

Abstract

Pelvic tilt posture is the key to ideal standing posture, yet no accurate quantitative measurements with standardized protocols have been implemented. The aim of the current study was to assess the calibration of a newly developed pelvic tilt sensor and to compare the repeatability using 2 protocols. Pelvic tilt was measured in a healthy woman with two different protocols and two repeated test were carried out for each protocol by a single tester. Repeatability testing for sagittal pelvic tilt was measured during neutral standing (NP), maximal anterior pelvic tilt (APT), and maximal posterior pelvic tilt (PPT). The newly developed pelvic tilt sensor was calibrated manually with a goniometer and indicated excellent correlation (r=0.99). NP, APT, and PPT in protocol 1 showed poor intra-class correlation (ICCs) compared to protocol 2 which showed high ICCs (r≥0.90) and low standard error of measurement (SEM). The excellent results obtained using the newly developed pelvic sensor in protocol 2 shows that it can be potentially used in clinical practice.