Reliability of isokinetic measurements of ankle dorsal and plantar flexors in normal subjects and in patients with peripheral neuropathy.
OBJECTIVE
To establish a reliable method for evaluation of motor performance of ankle dorsal and plantar flexors in healthy subjects and in patients with peripheral neuropathy.


METHODS
Thirty-eight control subjects and 7 patients with peripheral neuropathy were studied. All patients and 25 control subjects were test twice.


METHODS
An outdoor clinic sample of 7 patients with hereditary motor sensory neuropathy (HMSN) and 38 control subjects.


METHODS
The effect of a rest interval, a displacement of the axis of rotation, examination by three investigators on the peak torque and work of dorsal and plantar flexors, and the percentage difference at test-retests.


RESULTS
Control subjects had percentage differences of 5.6% and 8.0% for dorsal flexion and 3.8% and 8.7% for plantar flexion at 60 degrees/sec and 180 degrees/sec, respectively. In neuropathic patients the percentage differences were 0% and 8.6% for dorsal and 5.1% and 12.3% for plantar flexion at 30 degrees/sec and 60 degrees/sec, respectively. No interindividual differences between 3 investigators were found. A rest interval between trials resulted in an increased plantar flexion peak torque (P < .05). Displacement of 1.5cm of the axis of rotation resulted in a change of the peak torque of 8.3% for plantar flexion (P < .01).


CONCLUSIONS
A well-defined test protocol for isokinetic motor performance of the ankle dorsal and plantar flexors provides a reliable procedure for quantification of motor function in healthy subjects and in patients with HMSN1.
Andersen
H
H
Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000842:Ankle / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009477:Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007551:Isotonic Contraction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D015203:Reproducibility of Results