EVALUATION OF CHANGES IN PELVIC BELT TENSION DURING 2 WEIGHT-BEARING FUNCTIONAL TASKS

Objective: The purposes of this study were to evaluate changes in pelvic belt tension during 2 weight-bearing functional tasks (transition from bipedal to unipedal stance [BUS] and walking) and to evaluate the reliability and the percentage variation for belt tension scores from trial to trial. Methods: A cross-sectional repeated-measures study was conducted with 10 healthy male participants (mean age, 28.3 +/- 8.8 years). Participants performed 10 trials of BUS and walking while wearing a nonelastic pelvic compression belt (PCB) applied distal to the anterior superior iliac spines, with a load cell positioned in the center of the belt. The load cell was calibrated using known weights (1-10 kg) to define the relationship between the applied tension and voltage change (R-2 = 0.99). Load cell tension values were recorded in voltage signals and then converted to newtons of force using appropriate conversion values (0.012 V = 10 N). Mean and standard deviation values, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC 3,1), and percentage standard error of measurements (% SEM) were analyzed for PCB tension recorded during the BUS and walking trials. Results: The mean tension achieved with a PCB was found to be 41.02 (+/- 4.23) N during BUS and 44.07 (+/- 5.80) N during walking. The trial-to-trial reliability (ICC 3,1) was high (ICC >= 0.9), and the variation in PCB tension across 10 trials (% SEM) was 4% or less. Conclusion: The mean tension achieved during the tasks was 44 N or less. The reliability is high, and the variation is low across the trials, which implies that a PCB could be used to produce consistent effects during repetition of the tasks (BUS and walking). (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2012;35:390-395)