Intra- and interrater reliabilities of the Myotonometer when assessing the spastic condition of children with cerebral palsy.

The purposes of this study were to assess intra- and interrater reliabilities by novice users of the Myotonometer (Neurogenic Technologies, Inc., Missoula, MT), a portable electronic device that quantifies muscle tone (stiffness) and paresis, in assessing children with cerebral palsy. Two raters used the Myotonometer to assess the biceps brachii and medial gastrocnemius muscles of 10 children with spastic-type cerebral palsy.

Comparison of surface electromyography and myotonometric measurements during voluntary isometric contractions.

Objectives: Muscle stiffness increases during muscle contraction. The purpose of this study was to determine the strength of the correlation between myotonometric measurements of muscle stiffness and surface electromyography (sEMG) measurements during various levels of voluntary isometric contractions of the biceps brachii muscle.

Subjects: Eight subjects (four female; four male), with mean age of 30.

Myotonometer intra- and interrater reliabilities.

Objectives: To assess the intra- and interrater reliabilities of the Myotonometer, a hand-held, computerized, electronic device that quantifies muscle stiffness (tone/compliance).

Design: Reliability study.

Setting: Research laboratory.