Isokinetic assessment of knee flexor/extensor muscular strength in elderly women

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:To assess knee flexor-extensor muscular strength in elderly women with no previous history of musculoskeletal disorders on the lower limbs using an isokinetic dynamometer, in order to obtain data that could be used as a comparative parameter in the evaluation of elderly women with knee disorders, thus facilitating a better rehabilitation of these patients.METHODS: Twenty-six volunteers aged 75 to 83 years were studied using a Cybex ® 6000 isokinetic dynamometer. The chosen angular velocity was 60 º/s, and concentric exercise was used for either flexion or extension. The studied parameters were: peak torque, angle of peak torque, and flexor-extensor torque rate.RESULTS: There were no differences between dominant (D) and nondominant (ND) knee peak torque values. This was true for both flexor (D = 42.46 ± 9.09 Nm / ND = 40.65 ± 9.38 Nm) and extensor (D = 76.92 ± 13.97 Nm / ND = 77.65 ± 15.21 Nm) movements. The descriptive statistical analysis of the values obtained for the flexor-extensor peak torque rate and for the angle of occurrence of peak torque was the same for the dominant and nondominant sides.CONCLUSIONS: The values of peak torque for the contralateral side can be used as a reference during rehabilitation of elderly women with acute disease of the knee, and the angular velocity of 60 º/s is proper and safe for isokinetic assessment of elderly people.

Fatores clínicos, funcionais e inflamatórios associados à fadiga muscular e à fadiga autopercebida em idosas da comunidade

“…Peak torque was the factor that best explained the variability of the muscle fatigue, remaining associated negatively and independently even after adjustment for the other explanatory variables. Peak torque represents the maximal muscle strength of an individual, reflecting the point of maximal muscle performance during a isokinetic test, besides of being the most frequently described parameter in isokinetic assessments of muscular performance 24 . Our results demonstrated that the increase on peak torque was associated to an increase on muscular fatigue.…”

A study on the relationship between muscle function, functional mobility and level of physical activity in community-dwelling elderly

“…An isokinetic dynamometer (Biodex System 3 Pro  ), which is an electromechanical instrument that provides objective, reliable and valid measures, was used to evaluate lower-limb muscle performance 15 . A Jamar  hydraulic hand dynamometer (Sammons Preston Rolyan, Bolingbrook, Illinois), which allows objective, reliable, safe and effective grip and pinch strength evaluation, was used to evaluate HG 16 .…”

Isokinetic Dynamometry in Elderly Women Undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Comparative Study

“…In a previous paper 19 we showed that the elderly could not be considered a single homogeneous group. From this perspective, one of the important steps for the development of this study was the definition of criteria to be used to form the group of female volunteers.…”

“…This was an observational controlled cross-sectional study involving 20 women (66-75 years) with primary ostheoartritis undergoing primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty with a total condylar-type prosthesis, whose postoperative clinical outcomes were rated good to excellent according to the Hospital for Special Surgery 3 and the International Knee Society 18 protocols as well as involving 25 controls (women who were participants in Hospital das Clínicas, the São Paulo University Medical School Volunteer Association, including caregivers and employees of the hospital).The criteria used for the selection of volunteers in this study 19 were a) age = 65 to 75 years; b) female; c) sedentary lifestyle (no more than 1 hour of physical activity/week); d) no history of pain in any knee that limited habitual activities for more than 48 hours during the last 2 years; e) no history of previous musculoskeletal disorders and no nervous diseases or previous fractures in the lower limbs; f) no instability in any plane or angular deviations in the knees (varus or valgus larger than 10 degrees); g) no use of a pharmacological substance that might affect the mechanism of muscular contraction; h) no previous isokinetic assessment; and i) no unbalancing systemic disease, such as cardiac disease or hypertension.…”