Isokinetics and Exercise Science - Volume 16, issue 2
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Isokinetics and Exercise Science (IES) is an international journal devoted to the study of theoretical and applied aspects of human muscle performance. Since isokinetic dynamometry constitutes the major tool in this area, the journal takes a particular interest in exploring the considerable potential of this technology.
Isokinetics and Exercise Science publishes studies associated with the methodology of muscle performance especially with respect to the issues of reproducibility and validity of testing, description of normal and pathological mechanical parameters which are derivable from muscle testing, applications in basic research topics such as motor learning paradigms and electromyography. The journal also publishes studies on applications in clinical settings and technical aspects of the various measurement systems employed in human muscle performance research.
Isokinetics and Exercise Science welcomes submissions in the form of research papers, reviews, case studies and technical reports from professionals in the fields of sports medicine, orthopaedic and neurological rehabilitation and exercise physiology.
Abstract: Purpose: to determine whether subjects with chronic ankle instability (CAI) suffer proprioceptive deficits (joint position sense) in the proximal joint (knee) of the injured ankle. Methods: Fourteen subjects with unilateral CAI and 14 healthy controls participated in this study. We tested knee joint position sense using an isokinetic dynamometer. Knee joint position testing was carried out at 30°, 45° and 70° knee flexion. The difference between perceived angle and actual angle was…recorded as the error. Results: Mean value of error was statistically significant in subjects with CAI compared with control subjects (30° p< 0.001, 45° p< 0.023 and 70° p< 0.050). Mean error value at 30° was also statistically greater than mean error value at 70° (p< 0.015). Conclusions: Changes in knee joint position sense in subjects with CAI suggest further emphasis on assessment of the joint proximal to the level of injury and subsequent planning of a rehabilitation program. Further research is required to determine the exact contributions to knee joint proprioception.
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Keywords: Proprioception, ankle sprain, knee, joint position sense
Abstract: Objective: To investigate the effects of eccentric hamstring training on strength measures and vertical jumping performance. Methods: 26 male basketball players aged 10–12 were divided into Nordic Hamstring Strength Training group (N=15) and control group (N=11). Training was conducted over a 5-week period during which both groups participated in basketball training. All participants underwent pre- and post-training testing comprising isokinetic concentric and eccentric knee extension and flexion strength and vertical…jump performance. Results: The NHST group exhibited significant increase in eccentric hamstring strength (p< 0.05) and vertical jumping ability (p< 0.01) whereas the performance of the control group remained unchanged during that period. Conclusion: Including eccentric exercises into entire training program improve muscular strength and can help athletes to reach their highest potential so they produce greater muscular forces.
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Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between, isokinetic knee strength, anaerobic performance and sprinting ability in American football players. Twenty-eight male amateur American football players participated in this study voluntarily. Knee extension and flexion strengths were evaluated at 60, 150 and 240°/s, anaerobic performance was evaluated by Wingate anaerobic power test and sprint ability was determined by single- (20 m) and repeated-sprint (12 × 20 m) tests. Extension strength…was significantly correlated with peak and mean power in all contraction velocities; however the only significant correlation between flexion strength and peak power was indicated at 240°/s. In the case of sprinting ability, there was a significant but weak correlation between 240°.s^{-1} knee flexion strength and percentage of performance decrement from 10–20 m (r=0.381, p< 0.05). No measure of strength was significantly related to single-sprint and other measures of repeated-sprint ability (p> 0.05). Hence, although maximal knee extension strength is a crucial component in anaerobic performance of American football players, lack of its association with single- and repeated-sprint performance indicates that factors other than strength might be involved in single-and repeated-sprint performance in this group of athletes.
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Abstract: Objective: To evaluate muscle contraction parameters during scaption of the shoulder in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS). Method: Thirty-three male subjects were evaluated. The impingement group consisted of 17 assembly line workers (31.6 ± 6.4 years) with unilateral SIS. The control group consisted of 16 healthy and active subjects (29.5 ± 6.2 years). Acceleration time, time to peak torque, peak torque, total work and power were measured bilaterally during isokinetic concentric scaption, at 60°/s…and 180°/s. Results: None of the isokinetic parameters differed bilaterally in the SIS group but compared to the control group showed impaired muscle activity in all parameters at both speeds (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Muscle contraction parameters are altered in both involved and uninvolved shoulders during scaption in patients with SIS.
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Abstract: Objective: To investigate whether muscle fatigue of ankle invertors and evertors reduces the ability to detect inversion and eversion angles in subjects with an ankle proprioceptive deficit. Design: A cross-sectional before-after study with repeated measures design. Setting: Research laboratory. Subjects: Thirty young adults with defective passive joint sense of ankle inversion were recruited into this study and compared with 30 similar controls without ankle proprioceptive deficits. Interventions:…Muscle fatigue of ankle invertors and evertors was defined as occuring when the maximal isokinetic torque declined to below 50% of the peak torque. Main measures: The absolute differences between the angles detected and assigned, with target angles at inversion 10°, inversion 20°, and eversion 10° trialled in random orders. Results: Proprioceptive deficits and muscle fatigue of ankle inversion and eversion had a significant interaction with the ability to detect small amplitude target angles. Detecting 10° of ankle eversion and inversion showed significantly greater errors than for 20° of ankle inversion. Following muscle fatigue or in subjects with proprioceptive deficits there were greater errors in detecting small amplitudes of ankle positions (10° of ankle inversion and eversion). Conclusions: The potential deleterious effects of fatigue and proprioceptive deficits on the ability to detect the small range of lateral movements of ankle joint was addressed in this investigation.. Fatigue worsens chronic proprioceptive ankle deficits and hence may enhance the risk of injury.
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Keywords: Ankle injury, muscle fatigue, position sense, proprioceptive deficits
Abstract: Little research has focused on the measurement of both hip external and internal rotation strength. The purpose of this study was to describe the consistency of isometric hip rotation forces measured by hand-held dyanamometry. Specifically, we described the consistency over time and between sides. For 15 subjects measured during 2 sessions one week apart, rotation forces and force ratios did not differ significantly. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were high (0.836–0.944) except for the external to…internal rotation force ratio on the right side (0.367). For 32 subjects measured during 1 session, hip external rotation forces and rotation force ratios did, but hip internal rotation forces did not, differ between sides. The between-side ICCs were high for the force measures (0.897&0.901) but not for the force ratio (0.337). Unlike force ratios, isometric force measurements obtained during a previous test session or from the other side provide a basis for measurement interpretation. The method errors and coefficients of variation of the method error that we report may be helpful in such interpretation.
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Abstract: Objectives: To determine the intra-rater reproducibility of normalized lifting strength (NLS) measurements. Methods: 30 healthy male volunteers with a mean age of 28.16 ± 7.59 years participated in this study. Each subject was tested by the same physician twice in a week, with at least 48 hours between the test sessions. For the evaluation of intra-rater reproducibility, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), the standard error of measurement (SEM) and the smallest real difference (SRD) and Bland…and Altman method were used. Results: Intra-rater ICCs of the NLS were 0.77 and 0.67 at 19.4 and 38.9 cm/s, respectively. The SEM% were 13.2% and 20.1% while the SRD% were 36.6% and 55.8% at these velocities, respectively. Conclusions: The reproducibility of NLS using the Biodex Lift Simulation Attachment was moderate in terms of the ICC and low in terms of the SRD. Thus the test, as described and applied is not sufficiently sensitive to detect clinically relevant changes.
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Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the three phases (menstrual, follicular, luteal phase) of the menstrual cycle on active and passive ankle joint position sense. Twenty five healthy women with regular menstrual cycle, not pregnant and no contraceptive using with normal and consistent length of menstrual cycle and bleeding days participated in the study. Blood samples were collected from each subject for determination of hormonal level the phases of menstrual cycle.…Ankle joint position sense changes during three different phases of the menstrual cycle were assessed. Active and passive joint position sense of dominant leg of subjects was measured using the Biodex 2 isokinetic dynamometer. The absolute reposition errors from the target angles have been evaluated by repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA) in three hormonally verified phases of menstrual cycle. No significant interaction was observed between ankle joint position sense test and the phases of the menstrual cycle. We did not identify ankle joint position sense alteration across the menstrual, follicular and luteal phases. We suggest that the menstrual cycle does not significantly affect ankle joint position sense.
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Keywords: Menstrual cycle, proprioception, joint position sense, ankle
Abstract: Handgrip strength is used to evaluate hand function. Handgrip strength may be used to assess generalized upper extremity strength and activities of daily living. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of general resistance training of the upper extremities on handgrip strength and to present hand-grip strength values, measured with the Grippit®, for young adult subjects in Sweden. Forty one healthy subjects, 27 women and 14 men, volunteered to participate in the…study. The women's group were randomly split between a training group (TG; n=15) and a control group (CG; n=12). Training consisted of general resistance for the upper extremities three times a week for 8 weeks. Values outcome measures included maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and sustained MVC (SMVC). A significant difference (p<0.001) in strength was found between the right and the left hand (8–11% when accounting for right hand dominance. The TG showed significantly higher (p<0.05) MVC for the right hand after training. It appears that handgrip strength may be increased by eight weeks of general resistance training for the upper extremities. The findings in this study support the 10% rule for a population that is right-handed.
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Keywords: Grip force evaluation, upper extremity strength, resistance training
Abstract: Objective: to compare the outcomes of arthroscopic reconstruction of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) by means of the double bundle technique with the ipsilateral semitendinosus and gracilis (St-Gr) and the single bundle technique with the ipsilateral patellar tendon (PT). Methods and measures: 14 patients had randomly been assigned to either PT ot St-Gr graft for PCL reconstruction. The IKDC Knee Ligament Evaluation Form, the Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale, the Cincinnati Knee Rating Scale and…concentric isokinetic knee extensor-flexor test at 60 and 180°/s were used to compare the results. Results: there were no significant differences in the clinical scores. The isokinetic tests, however, disclosed a significant loss of strength at the harvest site. Conclusion: since biomechanical considerations underscore the importance of recovery of the quadriceps after PCL reconstruction, employment of the semitendinous and gracilis with a possible loss of flexor strength could be rationally more acceptable solution than reconstruction with the patellar tendon and weakening of the extensors.
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