Affiliations: [a] Discipline of Physiotherapy, James Cook University of
North Queensland, Queensland, Australia
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Helen Land, James Cook University of
North Queensland, Physiotherapy Clinic Building DG257, Townsville, QLD 4811,
Australia. Tel.: +61 7 4781 5840; Fax: +61 7 4781 5831; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Purpose: To systematically review the literature regarding
isokinetic testing to identify values for isokinetic shoulder strength and
agonist/antagonist ratios in the general population which may be used as
reference values when assessing, planning and implementing shoulder
rehabilitation. Methods: Electronic databases were systematically
searched and reference lists of all retrieved papers were hand searched and
nine relevant studies were identified. Two independent reviewers assessed
methodological quality and extracted data. Results: Seven studies reported the effect of limb dominance on strength with four reporting no
significant difference between the dominant and non-dominant limbs. The studies
which compared muscle strength with gender concluded that men were
significantly stronger than women at all speeds in all directions. Age was
reported to have no significant effect on muscle strength. Four studies agreed
that adduction and extension muscle strength were greater than other directions
and flexion, abduction, internal rotation and external rotation were the next
strongest in that order. Conclusions: Nine low and moderate quality
research papers have attempted to establish isokinetic shoulder strength in a
general population. Poor consistency with respect to sample sizes,
randomization and selection of testing velocities and positions did not allow
direct comparison of the results. Future research involving symptomatic
subjects will need to be matched to a group of subjects from the general
population of the same age, gender and physical profile with adequate sample
sizes representative of the symptomatic population.
