INTRODUCTION: Sleepiness is responsible for a considerable proportion of traffic accidents. It is thus an important traffic safety issue to find a robust, objective and practical way to estimate the amount of time a person has been awake. To attempt to meet this goal, we investigated the relationship between sleepiness and posture control. METHODS: Subjects were kept awake for 36 hours and posturographic data during quiet standing were collected every two hours by means of a force platform. The standing surface (rigid surface or foam surface) and visual (eyes open or eyes closed) conditions were manipulated. RESULTS: In the more challenging conditions (with foam surface and/or eyes closed), the body sway variables derived from the center of the pressure measurement increased significantly when time since awakening became greater than 21 h in almost all subjects. CONCLUSION: Based on this result, we propose a practical protocol that could robustly assess whether time since awakening was greater than 21 h.

Introdução: A avaliação e a mensuração objetiva da amplitude articular são de fundamental importância para o diagnóstico, planejamento e acompanhamento de um tratamento. Com o avanço da tecnologia, a biofotogrametria começa a ser utilizada com maior frequência no meio fisioterapêutico, mensurando a quantidade de movimento articular. O ângulo poplíteo foi escolhido por ser uma medida indireta da flexibilidade da musculatura ísquiossural. A retração dos isquiossurais pode resultar em problemas posturais significativos e produzir uma inclinação posterior contínua da pelve, afetando a marcha e o gesto esportivo, sendo também uma das causas de dores musculares ou articulares.Objetivos: Verificar as confiabilidades intra e inter-examinador da análise de ângulo poplíteo através a fotogrametria computadorizada, utilizando o software para avaliação postural (SAPo), buscando estabelecer a repetibilidade e a reprodutibilidade do método.Métodos: Foram avaliados 23 indivíduos (46 joelhos). Os voluntários foram posicionados em decúbito dorsal, com quadril e joelho do membro inferior avaliado fletidos a 90 graus, mantendo o membro contralateral em extensão. A seguir, o joelho do membro testado era estendido passivamente, até o ponto no qual se percebia primeira resistência dos músculos ao alongamento. Neste ponto, foi feito o registro do ângulo poplíteo. A análise estatística da confiabilidade inter e intra-examinador foi averiguada pelos resultados do coeficiente de correlação intra-classe (ICC) dos tipos 1,1 e 3,1 no teste de correlação de Pearson, considerando um nível de significância de p<0,05.Resultados: O método de avaliação do ângulo poplíteo pela biofotogrametria apresentou confiabilidade forte (ICC = 0,786) intra-examinador e confiabilidade muito forte (ICC = 0,920) inter-examinador.Conclusão: A biofotogrametria é um método apropriado para a avaliação do ângulo poplíteo uma vez que os valores do coeficiente de correlação intra-classe intra e inter-examinadores atingiram níveis forte e muito forte, respectivamente, confirmando a reprodutibilidade e a repetibilidade desta técnica de avaliação.

Introduction: The assessment and objective measurement of joint range of motion are of fundamental importance for the diagnosis, planning and monitoring treatment. With the advancement of technology, photogrammetry is beginning to be used with greater frequency in the physical therapy practice, measuring the amount of joint motion. The popliteal angle was chosen because it provides an indirect measure of flexibility of the hamstring muscles. The retraction of the hamstrings can result in significant postural problems and produce a continuous posterior tilt of the pelvis, affecting the gait and sports movements, as well as causing muscle or joint pain.Objectives: To confirm the reliability intra- and inter-examiner analysis of popliteal angle through computerized photogrammetry using the Postural Assessment Software (SAPO), to establish the repeatability and reproducibility of the method.Methods: Twenty-three patients (46 knees) were evaluated. Volunteers were positioned supine with hip and knee of the evaluated leg flexed at 90 degrees, keeping the contralateral limb in extension. Next, the knee of the tested limb was passively extended until the point at which the first resistance to stretching was perceived. At this point, the popliteal angle was recorded. Statistical analysis of inter- and intra-examiner reliability was determined by the results of the coefficient of intra-class correlation (ICC) of types 1.1 and 3.1 in the Pearson correlation test, considering a significance level of p<0.05.Results: The measurement of the popliteal angle by photogrammetry showed strong intra-examiner reliability (ICC=0.786) and very strong inter-examiner reliability (ICC=0.920).Conclusion: The photogrammetry is an appropriate method for the evaluation of the popliteal angle since the coefficient of intra-class correlation and intra and inter- examiners reached strong and very strong levels, respectively, confirming the reproducibility and repeatability of this assessment technique.

Introducción: La evaluación y la medición objetiva de la amplitud articular son de fundamental importancia para el diagnóstico, planificación y acompañamiento de un tratamiento. Con el avance de la tecnología, la fotogrametría está empezando a ser utilizada con mayor frecuencia en la práctica de fisioterapia para mensurar la cuantidad de movimiento articular. El ángulo poplíteo fue elegido porque proporciona una medida indirecta de la flexibilidad de la musculatura isquiotibial. La retracción de los isquiotibiales puede resultar en problemas de postura significativos y producir una inclinación posterior continua de la pelvis, afectando la marcha y el gesto deportivo, siendo también una de las causas de dolores musculares o articulares.Objetivos: Verificar la fiabilidad intra e inter-examinador de la análisis de ángulo poplíteo mediante fotogrametría computarizada, utilizando el software de evaluación postural (SAPo) para establecer la repetibilidad y la reproducibilidad del método.Métodos: Fueron evaluados 23 individuos (46 rodillas). Los voluntarios fueron posicionados en decúbito dorsal, con la cadera y la rodilla del miembro inferior evaluado flexionados a 90 grados, manteniendo el miembro contralateral en extensión. A continuación, la rodilla del miembro testado se extendió pasivamente hasta el punto en que se percibió la primera resistencia al estiramiento. En este punto, fue hecho el registro del ángulo poplíteo. El análisis estadístico de la fiabilidad inter e intra-examinador fue determinado por los resultados del coeficiente de correlación intra-clase (ICC) de los tipos 1.1 y 3.1 en la prueba de correlación de Pearson, considerando un nivel de significación de p < 0,05.Resultados: La medición del ángulo poplíteo por fotogrametría mostró fuerte fiabilidad intra-examinador (ICC = 0,786) y muy fuerte fiabilidad inter-examinador (ICC = 0,920).Conclusión: La fotogrametría es un método apropiado para evaluación del ángulo poplíteo una vez que los valores del coeficiente de correlación intra-clase, intra e inter-examinador llegaron a niveles fuerte y muy fuerte, respectivamente, confirmando la reproducibilidad y la repetibilidad de esta técnica de evaluación.

OBJECTIVES: Measurements of the joint angles of the shoulder complex are important for diagnosis, assessment and monitoring of the treatment progression of movement disorders, provided that they can be seen as valid and reliable. The object of this study was to determine inter- and intra-rater reliability of manual goniometry and computerized biophotogrammetry for the assessment of range of motion of the medial and lateral rotations of the shoulder. METHODS: Four evaluators (two for goniometry and two for biophotogrammetry) assessed 11 males, 16 - 26 years old, right-handed and with no shoulder anomalies. A universal plastic goniometer was used for the goniometry assessment. The biophotogrammetry assessment involved the use of a digital camera Sony DSC-W1 (5.1Mp), with non-reflective markers placed on the subjects. Photographic frames were analyzed the though the SAPO software (version 0.67). Each evaluator was blinded to data from all other valuators; inter-rater datas were compared. Seven days after the first assessment, all measurements were repeated in order to complete the intra-rater comparison. The Wilcoxon test was used to check statistical significance, the Spearman correlation was calculated and inter-class correlations coefficients were determined. RESULTS: Inter-class correlations for inter- and intra-rater goniometry results were 0.897 and 0.830 respectively; the corresponding biophotogrammetric values were 0.982 and 0.954, all representing excellent reliability levels. CONCLUSION: Goniometry and biophotogrammetry are reliable methods for assessment of shoulder rotation; however, biophotogrammetry has been shown to be more reliable.