title: Isokinetic evaluation of ankle muscle strength and fatigue in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to compare the strength and fatigue of ankle plantarflexor/dorsiflexor muscles using isokinetic dynamometer in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) versus healthy control subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  A controlled study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatients clinic of our Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six AS patients and 26 control subjects participated in this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  In both groups the isokinetic tests are conducted by isokinetic dynamometer.The evaluations were made in plantarflexion/dorsiflexion patterns;peak torque, agonist/antagonist ratio and work fatigue isokinetic parameters were evaluated for the ankle 30 º/s, 60º/s, 120º/s angular velocities. Pain severity, clinical findings, and functional status were also evaluated in the study group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the patient group, ankle plantarflexion muscle strength was significantly lower compared to the control group in all angular velocities (P<0.05). Agonist/antagonist ratio was significantly lower in the patient group compared to the control group in all angular velocities (P<0.01). The work fatigue was decreased for bilateral ankle plantarflexors at 120º/s angular velocities (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the measurements of ankle dorsiflexors (P>0.05). There was no relation between the decreased muscle strength and pain severity, clinical findings, and functional status of AS patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found ankle muscles fatigue and decreased ankle plantarflexor muscle strength in patients with AS compared to control subjects.
authors.affiliation: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey. nilaysahin@gmail.com
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ozcan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baskent
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karan
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ekmeci
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kasikcioglu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018763:Muscle Fatigue / Q000502:physiology*; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D019415:Torque