Isokinetic assessment of knee flexor/extensor muscular strength in elderly women.
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 degrees /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 degrees /s is proper and safe for isokinetic assessment of elderly people.
Aquino
Marcos de Amorim
Mde A
Study of Movements Laboratory of the Ortopaedics and Traumatology Institute, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
Leme
Luiz Eugênio Garcez
LE
Amatuzzi
Marco Martins
MM
Greve
Júlia Maria D'Andréa
JM
Terreri
Antônio Sérgio A P
AS
Andrusaitis
Félix Ricardo
FR
Nardelli
Júlio César de Carvalho
JC
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000534:rehabilitation; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D019415:Torque