Inter-rater reliability of the Modified Modified Ashworth Scale in assessing lower limb muscle spasticity

Abstract

Primary objective: To assess the inter-rater reliability of the Modified Modified Ashworth Scale (MMAS) in lower limb muscle spasticity.

Research design: Cross-sectional observational study.

Interventions: Not applicable.

Methods and procedures: Twenty-two adults with neurological conditions (17 women, five men, age range 21–82 years; mean ± SD, 44 ± 18 years) participated. Hip adductor, knee extensor and ankle plantarflexor were assessed in a random order.

Main outcomes and results: Inter-rater agreement for two raters was very good for the hip adductor and the knee extensor (weighted kappa = 0.82, p < 0.0001) and good for the ankle plantarflexor (weighted kappa = 0.74, p < 0.0001).

Conclusions: The Modified Modified Ashworth Scale produced reliable measurements between raters in the assessment of lower limb muscle spasticity.

• Spasticity
• Modified Modified Ashworth Scale
• measurement
• reliability