The study of validity and reliability of formetric 4D system in measuring of deformites in kyphosis and lordosis in women

One of the important issues in corrective exercises is the measurement of arches of spine, especially kyphosis and lordosis. One of these instruments is Formetric 4D system which is very accurate and with no danger of rays. The purpose of this descriptive research is to examine validity and reliability of formetric 4D system in measuring deformities in kyphosis and lordosis. This descriptive study was conducted on 27 female patients. Statistical society of this study was patients referred to orthopedist and neurologists in Arak, Iran. Sampling was conducted using convenience method. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to check intratester reliability of system, and the Pearson correlation coefficient was used to examine its validity. All data analyses were done by SPSS and significance was considered at P<0.05. Findings showed that validity of formetric 4D systems in measurement of angles of kyphosis ICT-ITL, VP-ITL, VP-T12, in comparison with radiography with a Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.712, 0.771, 0.745 (P<0.05), and obtained reliability through ICC was 0.966, 0.947, 0.887 (P<0.001). Results in the study of validity of formetric 4D system in the measuring of angles of lordosis ITL-ILS, ITL-DM, T12-DM, in comparison with radiography were 0.713, 0.734, 0.458 (P<0.05), and the reliability of intratester of system was obtained 0.923, 0.884, 0.896 (P<0.001) respectively. The results indicate that formetric 4D system has high validity and ICC in measuring kyphosis and lordosis. Therefore, this system could be a valid and reliable tool to measure these deformities, and a suitable replacement for radiography.