Isokinetic measurement of foot invertor and evertor force in three positions of plantarflexion and dorsiflexion.
The purpose of this study was to determine the ankle position at which the greatest peak torque occurs during isokinetic testing of inversion and eversion force. Testing of right foot invertors and evertors was performed at 10 degrees dorsiflexion, neutral dorsiflexion and plantarflexion, and 10 degrees plantarflexion on 25 untrained subjects with the MERAC isokinetic dynamometer. Subjects were retested to determine reliability. Results indicate that 10 degrees plantarflexion appears better than the other positions tested because reliability was highest and torque output was greatest at this position. Reliability was assessed with a Pearson product moment test and a paired comparisons test (p </= .05). A randomized block design and a Scheffé post hoc test demonstrated that significant differences in peak torque of both invertor and evertor muscles were found between the three testing positions (p </= .01). No significant difference in the invertor to evertor force ratio wits found between the three testing positions. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1991;14(2):75-81.
Cawthorn
M
M
Cummings
G S
GS
Walker
J R
JR
Donatelli
R A
RA