Affiliations: [a] Laboratory Motricité, Interactions, Performance,
EA 4334, Département STAPS, Université du Maine, Le Mans, France | [b] Centre de l'Arche, Saint Saturnin, France
Note: [] Address for correspondence: M. Ripamonti, M.I.P., Université
du Maine, Faculté des Sciences, Département STAPS, Avenue Olivier
Messiaen, 72089 Le Mans Cedex 9, France. Tel.: +33 243 832~635; Fax: +33
243 833 662; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Torque-velocity and power-velocity relationships, which determine
the different indicators of muscle function, have some practical application
during rehabilitation program. These relationships for trunk flexor and
extensor muscles during isokinetic conditions have yet to be studied in chronic
lower back pain patients in order to demonstrate that maximal power could be
used as a quantitative factor for this population. Ten healthy male subjects
and eleven chronic lower back pain male patients performed series of isokinetic
trunk flexions and extensions at six different velocities, ranging from
45°/s to 120°/s, on a Biodex
dynamometer. The torque-velocity and power-velocity relationships of trunk
muscles were described by linear (P < 0.01;
r=0.9–0.99) and parabolic (P < 0.05;
r=0.9–0.99) relationships, respectively. Maximal power was
the only parameter which showed a significant difference (P
< 0.01) between the two populations for both flexor and extensor
muscles. It was concluded that the lower back pain did not influence the shape
of trunk muscles' torque- and power-velocity relationships. The different
maximal power observed between the two groups suggests that rehabilitation
program should focus on strength training for the extensor muscles whereas the
flexor group would follow velocity exercise session.
Keywords: Torque, power, lower back pain, rehabilitation program, trunk muscles
