Affiliations: [a] School of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine,
Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria,
Australia | [b] Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong
Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong | [c] Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders,
and Department of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Australian
Neuromuscular Research Institute, Perth, W.A., Australia
Note: [] School of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and
Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Vic 3010, Australia. Tel.: +61 3
783446428; Fax: +61 3 783444188; E-mail: b.phillips@physio.unimelb.edu.au
Abstract: {\it Objective:} To obtain normal torque values for the knee
extensors and flexors using a Kin-Com dynamometer in a large group of normal
subjects. {\it Design:} We used a Kin-Com dynamometer to measure the
isokinetic torque at 60 and 120 deg/sec and isometric torque of the knee
extensors and flexors in a sample of 200 normal subjects aged 20 to 69 years.
{\it Results:} Reliability coefficients for average and isometric
torque were >0.82 for both intra- and inter-session reliability. Male
subjects exerted a significantly greater isokinetic and isometric torque than
female subjects for both muscle groups and age was a significant predictor of
torque for all tests. The 5th percentile values, as the lower limit of normal,
are reported separately for gender and side of testing for each decade of age,
and may be used for comparison to patient data providing that the specified
testing protocol and a Kin-Com dynamometer are used.
