Top

Published in:

01-07-2008 | Original Article

High day-to-day reliability in lower leg volume measured by water displacement

Authors: Jeffrey D. Pasley, Patrick J. O’Connor

Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology | Issue 4/2008

Abstract

The day-to-day reliability of lower leg volume is poorly documented. This investigation determined the day-to-day reliability of lower leg volume (soleus and gastrocnemius) measured using water displacement. Thirty young adults (15 men and 15 women) had their right lower leg volume measured by water displacement on five separate occasions. The participants performed normal activities of daily living and were measured at the same time of day after being seated for 30 min. The results revealed a high day-to-day reliability for lower leg volume. The mean percentage change in lower leg volume across days compared to day 1 ranged between 0 and 0.37%. The mean within subjects coefficient of variation in lower leg volume was 0.72% and the coefficient of variation for the entire sample across days ranged from 5.66 to 6.32%. A two way mixed model intraclass correlation (30 subjects × 5 days) showed that the lower leg volume measurement was highly reliable (ICC = 0.972). Foot and total lower leg volumes showed similarly high reliability. Water displacement offers a cost effective and reliable solution for the measurement of lower leg edema across days.

Atkinson G, Nevill AM (1998) Statistical methods for assessing measurement error (reliability) in variables relevant to sports medicine. Sports Med 26(4):217–238PubMedCrossRef

Babul S, Rhodes EC, Taunton JE, Lepawsky M (2003) Effects of intermittent exposure to hyperbaric oxygen for the treatment of an acute soft tissue injury. Clin J Sport Med 13(3):138–147PubMedCrossRef

Bamigboye AA, Smyth R (2007) Interventions for varicose veins and leg oedema in pregnancy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev (1):CD001066. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001066.pub2.

Bednarczyk JH, Hershler C, Cooper DG (1992) Development and clinical evaluation of a computerized limb volume measurement system (CLEMS). Arch Phys Med Rehabil 73(1):60–63PubMed

Blankfield RP, Ahmed M, Zyzanski SJ (2004) Idiopathic edema is associated with obstructive sleep apnea in women. Sleep Med 5(6):583–587PubMedCrossRef

Boland R, Adams R (1996) Development and evaluation of a precision forearm and hand volumeter and measuring cylinder. J Hand Ther 9(4):349–358PubMed

Casley-Smith JR (1994) Measuring and representing peripheral oedema and its alterations. Lymphology 27(2):56–70PubMed

Cheung WY (2007) Bilateral leg swelling as the initial and predominant presentation of HIV and associated pulmonary arterial hypertension. AIDS Patient Care STDS 21(5):293–296PubMedCrossRef

D’Amico EJ, Neilands TB, Zambarano R (2001) Power analysis for multivariate and repeated measures designs: a flexible approach using the SPSS MANOVA procedure. Behav Res Methods Instrum Comput 33(4):479–484PubMed

Eccles MV (1956) Hand volumetrics. Br J Phys Med 19(1):5–8PubMed

Engler HS, Sweat RD (1962) Volumetric arm measurements: technique and results. Am Surg 28:465–468PubMed

Farrell K, Johnson A, Duncan H, Offenbacker T, Curry C (2003) The intertester and intratester reliability of hand volumetrics. J Hand Ther 16(4):292–299PubMedCrossRef

Foley JM, Jayaraman RC, Prior BM, Pivarnik JM, Meyer RA (1999) MR measurements of muscle damage and adaptation after eccentric exercise. J Appl Physiol 87(6):2311–2318PubMed

Gebruers N, Truijen S, Engelborghs S, De Deyn PP (2007) Volumetric evaluation of upper extremities in 250 healthy persons. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging 27(1):17–22PubMedCrossRef

Goldie IF, Gunterberg B, Jacobson C (1974) Foot volumetry as an objective test of the effect of antiphlogistic drugs in ankle sprains. A preliminary study. Rheumatol Rehabil 13(4):204–207PubMedCrossRef

Greenhill A (1979) Clinical note: the hand. Physiother Can 31:34–35

Harrelson GL, Leaver-Dunn D, Fincher AL, Leeper JD (1998) Inter-and intratester reliability of lower extremity circumference measurements. J Sport Rehabil 7:300–306

Kaulesar Sukul DM, den Hoed PT, Johannes EJ, van Dolder R, Benda E (1993) Direct and indirect methods for the quantification of leg volume: comparison between water displacement volumetry, the disk model method and the frustum sign model method, using the correlation coefficient and the limits of agreement. J Biomed Eng 15(6):477–480PubMedCrossRef

King TI 2nd (1993) The effect of water temperature on hand volume during volumetric measurement using the water displacement method. J Hand Ther 6(3):202–204PubMed

Landgraf H, Vanselow B, Schulte-Huermann D, Mülmann MV, Bergau L (1994) Economy class syndrome: rheology, fluid balance, and lower leg edema during a simulated 12-hour long distance flight. Aviat Space Environ Med 65(10 Pt 1):930–935PubMed

Lund H, Christensen L, Savnik A, Boesen J, Danneskiold-Samsoe B, Bliddal H (2002) Volume estimation of extensor muscles of the lower leg based on MR imaging. Eur Radiol 12(12):2982–2987PubMed

Madias JE, Attanti S, Narayan V (2003) Relationship among electrocardiographic potential amplitude, weight, and resistance/reactance/impedance in a patient with peripheral edema treated for congestive heart failure. J Electrocardiol 36(2):167–171PubMedCrossRef

Mamoulakis D, Bitsori M, Galanakis E, Raissaki M, Kalmanti M (2006) Insulin-induced oedema in children and adolescents. J Paediatr Child Health 42(10):655–657PubMedCrossRef

Maxwell SE, Delaney HD (1990) Designing experiments and analyzing data: a model comparison perspective. Mahwah, New Jersey

Meissner MH, Eklof B, Smith PC, Dalsing MC, DePalma RG, Gloviczki P, Moneta G, Neglén P, O’ Donnell T, Partsch H, Raju S (2007) Secondary chronic venous disorders. J Vasc Surg 46(Suppl S):68S–83SPubMedCrossRef

Moholkar K, Fenelon G (2001) Diurnal variations in volume of the foot and ankle. J Foot Ankle Surg 40(5):302–304PubMedCrossRef

Nichols DP (1998) Choosing an intraclass correlation coefficient. SPSS Keywords, Number 67

Nosaka K, Clarkson PM (1996) Changes in indicators of inflammation after eccentric exercise of the elbow flexors. Med Sci Sports Exerc 28(8):953–961PubMed

Nosaka K, Newton M (2002) Is recovery from muscle damage retarded by a subsequent bout of eccentric exercise inducing larger decreases in force? J Sci Med Sport 5(3):204–218PubMedCrossRef

O’Connor PJ, Poudevigne MS, Pasley JD (2002) Perceived exertion responses to novel elbow flexor eccentric action in women and men. Med Sci Sports Exerc 34(5):862–868PubMedCrossRef

Paddon-Jones DJ, Quigley BM (1997) Effect of cryotherapy on muscle soreness and strength following eccentric exercise. Int J Sports Med 18(8):588–593PubMedCrossRef

Sagen A, Karesen R, Risberg MA (2005) The reliability of a simplified water displacement instrument: a method for measuring arm volume. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 86(1):86–89PubMedCrossRef

Shellock FG, Fukunaga T, Mink JH, Edgerton VR (1991) Exertional muscle injury: evaluation of concentric versus eccentric actions with serial MR imaging. Radiology 179(3):659–664PubMed

Taylor R, Jayasinghe UW, Koelmeyer L, Ung O, Boyages J (2006) Reliability and validity of arm volume measurements for assessment of lymphedema. Phys Ther 86(2):205–214PubMed

Thompson HS, Hyatt JP, De Souza MJ, Clarkson PM (1997) The effects of oral contraceptives on delayed onset muscle soreness following exercise. Contraception 56(2):59–65PubMedCrossRef

Verleisdonk EJ (2002) The exertional compartment syndrome: a review of the literature. Ortop Traumatol Rehabil 4(5):626–631PubMed

Whitehead NP, Allen TJ, Morgan DL, Proske U (1998) Damage to human muscle from eccentric exercise after training with concentric exercise. J Physiol 512(Pt 2):615–620PubMedCrossRef

Whitehead NP, Weerakkody NS, Gregory JE, Morgan DL, Proske U (2001) Changes in passive tension of muscle in humans and animals after eccentric exercise. J Physiol 533(Pt 2):593–604PubMedCrossRef

Willoughby DS, Vanenk C, Taylor L (2003) Effects of concentric and eccentric contractions on exercise-induced muscle injury, inflammation, and serum IL-6. J Exerc Physiol 6(4):8–15

Title: High day-to-day reliability in lower leg volume measured by water displacement
Authors: Jeffrey D. Pasley
Patrick J. O’Connor
Publication date: 01-07-2008
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology / Issue 4/2008
Print ISSN: 1439-6319
Electronic ISSN: 1439-6327
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-008-0719-5

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

High day-to-day reliability in lower leg volume measured by water displacement

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 4/2008

Neuromuscular fatigue is greater following highly variable versus constant intensity endurance cycling

Influence of sildenafil on lung diffusion during exposure to acute hypoxia at rest and during exercise in healthy humans

Effect of training with different intensities and volumes on muscle fibre enzyme activity and cross sectional area in the m. triceps brachii

Resting plasma and salivary IL-6 concentrations are not correlated in distance runners

Professor Victor Alekseevich ROGOZKIN

Characteristics of the respiratory mechanical and muscle function of competitive breath-hold divers