• Dirk J Kokmeyer, Peter Van der Wurff, Geert Aufdemkampe, and Theresa C M Fickenscher.
• Private practice of physical therapy, Vail, Colo., USA. dkoke@earthlink.net
• J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2002 Jan 1; 25 (1): 42-8.

BackgroundStudies concerning the reliability of individual sacroiliac tests have inconsistent results. It has been suggested that the use of a test regimen is a more reliable form of diagnosis than individually performed tests.ObjectiveTo assess the interrater reliability of multitest scores by using a regimen of 5 commonly used sacroiliac pain provocation tests.MethodsTwo examiners examined 78 subjects. The threshold for a positive selection was set at 3 positive tests out of 5 tests performed. The test order and the order in which the subjects were examined were randomized per patient, and the examiners were blinded from all information regarding the subjects tested. Fifty-nine of the subjects were symptomatic for low back pain, and 19 of the subjects were asymptomatic. Weighted kappa statistic, bias-adjusted kappa, prevalence-adjusted kappa, and 95% CI intervals were used to evaluate the interrater reliability of the test regimen.ResultsWeighted kappa was found to be 0.70 (95% CI = 0.45-0.95).ConclusionsA multitest regimen of 5 sacroiliac joint pain provocation tests is a reliable method to evaluate sacroiliac joint dysfunction, although further study is needed to assess the validity of this test method.

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