Background and Aim: scapular position is one of the most important parts of a comprehensive approach to evaluation of patients with suspected shoulder dysfunction.Muscular imbalance has further been suggested to be a leading cause of asymmetrical motions and positions of scapula.

Kibler Introduced Lateral scapular slide test (LSST) quantitatively measures scapular symmetry, scapular stabilizer strength and shoulder girdle dysfunction threshold .

The literature recommends a further study on the reliability of LSST by using precise instrument such as caliper. Therefore, the main goal of present study was to determine the inter rater reliability of the LSST by using the caliper in comparison with the tape in patients with shoulder pathology

Material & Method: The LSST was administered to twenty men patients with a mean age 37.19 of years.(SD:12.42).The distances between the inferior angle of scapula &T7 were recorded. Subjects were tested with arm in neutral, hands on hips and 90 degrees of abduction full internal rotation. All data for tape and caliper in 0,45 and 90 degrees of shoulder abduction  were analyzed with SPSS (V:11.5).

Results: The ICCs range of inter- rater reliability were respectively (0.56-0.76) and (0.73-0.88) for tape and caliper in 0,45 and 90 degrees of abduction. Differences between ICCs for caliper and tape are not statisticaly significant. The SEM range was from 6.78 to 9.29 mm for tape and from 4.33 to 8.19 mm for caliper.  

Conclusion&Discusion:  This study showed that inter rater reliability of LSST is questionable. Although ICCs for caliper are better than tape but in third position of the test in both measurement method ICC were low. Further research is needed.