Objective To investigate the accuracy of the applied kinesiology muscle strength test for sacroiliac dysfunction and compared it with four validated orthopedic tests. Methods This is a cross-sectional accuracy survey developed at a private practice in the city of Manaus, Brazil, during February 2017. The sample consisted of 20 individuals, with a median age of 33.5 years. Four tests were applied: distraction, thigh thrust, compression and sacral thrust, and the diagnosis was confirmed when three of these tests were positive. Soon after, the applied kinesiology test was applied to the piriformis muscle. Results The prevalence of sacroiliac joint dysfunction was of 45%; the thigh thrust test had the highest specificity, and the sacral thrust test had the highest sensitivity. The applied kinesiology test presented good results (sensitivity: 0.89; specificity: 0.82; positive predictive value: 0.80; negative predictive value: 0.82; accuracy: 0.85; and area under the receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve: 0.85). Conclusion The applied kinesiology muscle strength test, which has great clinical feasibility, showed good accuracy in diagnosing sacroiliac joint dysfunction and greater discriminatory power for the existing dysfunction in comparison to other tests.
Keywords: applied kinesiology; sacroiliac joint; sensitivity and specificity.