Abdominal muscle performance as measured by the double leg-lowering test.
OBJECTIVE
To describe abdominal muscle performance as measured by the double leg-lowering test (DLLT) in healthy subjects.


METHODS
Repeated measures.


METHODS
Academic laboratory.


METHODS
A sample of 100 healthy volunteers (50 men, 50 women; age range, 18-29 y).


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
Repeat measurements of the DLLT to determine reliability and performance standards and to identify variables that predict performance.


RESULTS
The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC 3,1) for repeated measures of the DLLT was .98. The mean value +/- standard error of the mean for abdominal performance for men was 15.4 degrees +/-2.3 degrees from a horizontal reference, and for women it was 36.9 degrees +/-3.4 degrees . A significant difference was found between men and women on performance of the DLLT (t 98 = -5.3, P < .001). A linear regression model found sex (t = -3.2, P = .002) and age (t = -4.6, P < .001) to be significant predictors of performance on the DLLT.


CONCLUSIONS
The DLLT has excellent intratester reliability. We also found a sex difference in the performance of the DLLT.
Physical Therapy Program, Mayo School of Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. krause.david@mayo.edu
David A
DA
Krause
James W
JW
Youdas
John H
JH
Hollman
Jay
J
Smith
D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000502:physiology*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012737:Sex Factors