Affiliations: [a] Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Skåne
University Hospital, Lund, Sweden | [b] Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Lund,
Sweden
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Jan Lexell, MD, Department Of
Rehabilitation Medicine, Sk{å}ne University hospital, Orupssjukhuset, 221
85 Lund, Sweden. Tel.: +46 413 55 67 27; Fax: +46 413 55 67 09; E-mail: jan.lexell@skane.se
Abstract: Diseases in the nervous system are among the most frequently
occurring disabling conditions. A symptom common for these diseases is
progressive muscular weakness, which can have a profound effect on a person's
ability to perform activities of daily living. Measurements of muscle strength
and interventions aiming at improving strength are two major components in the
rehabilitation of individuals with diseases of the nervous system. Over the
past decade, interest in the assessment of muscle function in various nervous
system diseases has increased, and isokinetic dynamometry has been established
as a valuable tool to understand the complexity of muscle function in these
diseases and the effects of various rehabilitation interventions. In this
review, we will present some of our experiences using isokinetic dynamometry to
evaluate muscle function in neurological diseases, and how it has increased our
knowledge about the effects of different rehabilitation interventions.
Keywords: Muscle, skeletal, muscle strength dynamometer, nervous system diseases, postpoliomyelitis syndrome, rehabilitation, reproducibility of results, research design, stroke
