Isometric and Isokinetic Torques of the Forearm Pronators and Supinators: Reliability and Interrelationships

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Kramer, John F.^{a; *; **} | Nusca, Deborah^{a; ***} | Bisbee, Leslie^{a; ****} | MacDermid, Joy^{a; *****} | Kemp, Deborah^{a; ******} | Boley, Sally^{a; *******}

Affiliations: [a] St. Joseph's Health Centre, London, Ontario, Canada

Note: [*] Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.

Note: [**] Address reprint requests to J.F. Kramer, PhD, Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada N6G 1H1.

Note: [***] Kinesiologist, Department of Physical Therapy, St. Joseph's Health Centre, London, Ontario, Canada.

Note: [****] Manager, Department of Physical Therapy, St. Joseph's Health Center, London, Ontario, Canada.

Note: [*****] Physical Therapist, Hand and Upper Limb Centre, St. Joseph's Health Centre, London, Ontario, Canada.

Note: [******] Occupational Therapist, Department of Occupational Therapy, Regional Evaluation Centre, St. Joseph's Health Centre, London, Ontario, Canada.

Note: [*******] Physical Therapist, Department of Physical Therapy, Regional Evaluation Centre, St. Joseph's Health Centre, London, Ontario, Canada.

Abstract: This study examined the reliability and interrelationships among isometric and isokinetic measurements of forearm pronation and supination strength. Twenty-one healthy men and 22 healthy women were tested at 0, 60, and 120 deg/sec angular velocities using a Cybex 340 dynamometer. Averaging scores over two test occasions was required to produce acceptable reliability coefficients for each gender (intraclass correlation coefficient > 0.75). Overall, men and women demonstrated similar correlations. Isometric torques were modestly related to isokinetic torques during pronation (r = 0.48–0.72; p < 0.05), but highly related during supination (r = 0.81–0.93; p < 0.01). Torques produced by the dominant arm tended to be highly related to those produced using the nondominant arm (r = 0.68–0.83 during pronation and r = 0.79–0.92 during supination; p < 0.01). The predictive utility of these data should be interpreted with the objective of predicting a range of possible scores rather than a single precise score.

Keywords: Isometric, isokinetic, reliability, forearm, pronation and supination strength

DOI: 10.3233/IES-1993-3404

Journal: Isokinetics and Exercise Science, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 195-201, 1993