Affiliations: [a] HEALTH SOUTH Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center, Alabama Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center, and Sports Medicine Institute, Birmingham, AL
Note: [*] Physical Therapy Coordinator, HEALTHSOUTH Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center, Birmingham, AL.
Note: [**] Address reprint requests to Christopher A. Arrigo, HEALTHSOUTH Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center, 1201 Eleventh Avenue South, Suite 100, Birmingham, AL 35205.
Note: [***] Associate Clinical Director and Director of Research and Clinical Education, HEALTHSOUTH Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center, and Director of Rehabilitation Research, American Sports Medicine Institute, Birmingham, AL.
Note: [****] Alabama Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center, and Medical Director, American Sports Medicine Institute, Birmingham, AL.
Abstract: The purposes of this investigation were twofold: (1) to identify the repetition during which peak torque and maximum work occurred during isokinetic testing of the shoulder's internal/external rotators and (2) to determine if a significant difference existed between the test speeds and/or the dominant arm for both parameters. One hundred ninety-one healthy professional baseball pitchers participated in this study. Testing was performed using a Biodex isokinetic dynamometer (Biodex, Shirley, NY) at 180 and 300 deg/sec for both the throwing and nonthrowing shoulders. All testing procedures were standardized and followed established guidelines for each subject. Statistical analysis was performed using a paired t test with a p≤0.01 level of significance. No statistically significant differences were demonstrated between or among matched pairs for test speed or arm dominance during isokinetic testing of the shoulder's internaVexternal rotators. Both peak torque repetition and maximum work repetition occurred most frequently between the second and fourth test repetitions for all parameters evaluated. This investigation offers clinical relevance for investigators using isokinetic testing of the shoulder internal/external rotators by demonstrating an optimal range of test repetitions to ensure the adequate assessment of peak torque and maximum work parameters.
Keywords: Isokinetics, shoulder testing, peak torque repetition, maximum work repetition
