Clinical assessment of ankle plantarflexor spasticity in adult patients after stroke: inter-and intra-rater reliability of the Modified Tardieu Scale.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reliability of the Modified Tardieu Scale (MTS) in the measurement of ankle plantarflexor spasticity in patients after stroke. RESEARCH DESIGN: Inter- and intra-rater reliability study. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Adult patients after stroke participated. Patients were tested by two raters for inter-rater reliability. Patients were re-tested by one rater at least 1 week later for intra-rater reliability. The plantarflexors on the hemiparetic side were tested. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The ICCs of inter and intra-rater reliability across all components of MTS were moderate and moderately high (range 0.40-0.71). Inter- and intra-rater reliability for the dynamic component of spasticity (R2-R1) were moderate (ICC = 0.57 and 0.40, respectively). The difference between the two raters for R2 was statistically significant (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The reliability of the Modified Tardieu Scale in the measurement of ankle plantarflexor spasticity in adult patients after stroke was insufficient for routine use in clinical settings and research.