Table 3 Main characteristics of selected studies analyzing reliability of the myotonometry in the upper limbs.

Lo et al.³⁷

N = 28

28 acute (< 1 mo) stroke patients

Mean age = 58.7, SD = 12.8

4 women

Mean time post stroke (days) = 22, SD = 7.36

MyotonPRO:

Muscle tone at rest

MB: Biceps brachii, Brachio-radialis

Supine lying position, with 10 to 15° elbow flexion and forearm supinated (biceps brachii), or elbow extension and forearm pronated (brachioradialis)

Evaluation of affected side. A set of 3 impulses, with 1 s rest interval, 1 day between tests

Excellent reliability (ICCs = 0.75–0.82), and no systematic bias between measurements

Muscle tone: SEM: 0.50 to 0.76; SRD: 1.96 to 2.41; 95% LOA: + 3.4 to -3.17

Lo et al.³⁸

N = 29

29 acute (< 1 mo) stroke patients

Mean age = 58.9, SD = 12.6

5 women

Mean time post stroke (days) = 20, SD = 7.16

MyotonPRO:

Muscle tone, stiffness, decrement and creep at rest

MB: Biceps brachii, Brachio-radialis

Supine lying position, with 10 to 15° elbow flexion and forearm supinated (biceps brachii), or elbow extension and forearm pronated (brachioradialis)

Bilateral evaluation. A set of 3 impulses, with 1 s rest interval, 15 min between tests

Moderate to very high reliabilities (ICCs = 0.65–0.93) for affected and unaffected sides

Muscle tone: SEM: 2.85% to 3.73%; SRD: 6.65% to 8.71%;

95% LOA: + 2.23 to -2.61/ Muscle stiffness: SEM: 4.21% to 6.18%; SRD: 9.82% to 14.43%; 95% LOA: + 54.17 to -70.597/Muscle creep: SEM: 4.39% to 5.71%; SRD: 10.23% to 13.32%; 95% LOA: + 0.27 to -0.28

Chuang et al.³⁹

N = 12

12 sub-acute (3 to 9 mo post-stroke) stroke patients

Mean age = 51.19, SD = 11.02

4 women

Mean time post stroke (mo) = 6.58, SD = 1.38

Myoton-3 myometer:

Muscle tone, stiffness, and elasticity at rest

MB: Biceps brachii, Triceps brachii

Supine position (biceps brachii), and side lying (triceps brachii), with arms at the sides, and forearms between pronation and supination

Bilateral evaluation (unaffected side first), 3 sets with 1 s rest interval, 60 min between tests

Excellent reliability (ICCs = 0.79–0.96), except for biceps brachii muscle tone on the unaffected side (ICC = 0.72)

Muscle tone: SEM: 2.93% to 8.04%; MDC90: 6.82% to 18.67%/Muscle stiffness: SEM: 4% to 10.72%; MDC90: 9.31% to 24.98%/Muscle elasticity: SEM: 6.04% to 7.26%; MDC90: 13.42% to 16.75%

Chuang et al.⁴⁰

N = 58

58 chronic stroke patients

Mean age, Mean time post stroke = N/A

Myoton-3 myometer:

Muscle tone, stiffness, and elasticity at rest

MB: Extensor digitorum, Flexor carpi radialis and ulnaris

Relaxed supine position, Bilateral evaluation (left side first): 3 sets, with 1 s rest interval, 30 min between tests

High to very high reliability (ICCs = 0.75–0.96) in the affected and unaffected sides

Chuang et al.⁴¹

N = 61

61 chronic stroke patients

Mean age = 55.08, SD = 10.9

25 women

Mean time post stroke (mo) = 21.43, SD = 14.04

Myoton-3 myometer:

Muscle stiffness, tone and elasticity at rest

MB: Deltoid, Triceps brachii

Biceps brachii

Relaxed supine position, elbow extended, forearm supinated and arm placed on the table (biceps brachii), and relaxed side lying position with the arm at the side and forearm between pronation and supination (deltoid and triceps brachii)

Evaluation of affected side, 3 sets, with 1 s rest interval, 30 min between tests

High to very high relative and absolute reliabilities (ICCs = 0.86–0.94)

Muscle tone: SEM: 3.9% to 6.7%; SRD: 10.7% to 18.7%;

LOA: + 4.37 to -4.49/ Muscle stiffness: SEM: 4.3% to 6%; SRD: 12% to 16.5%; LOA: + 74.60 to -82.28/ Muscle elasticity: SEM: 4.9% to 8.9%; SRD: 13.5% to 24.4%; LOA: + 0.61 to -0.65