Maximal peak torque as a predictor of peak angular impulse and average power of thigh muscles--an isometric and...

The aim of this study was to determine whether isometric and isokinetic peak torque (PT) of hamstring and quadriceps muscles (speed of movement 0 degrees, 60 degrees, and 180 degrees/sec) is a valid predictor of peak angular impulse (PAI) and average power (AP) (180 degrees/sec) in 20 patients after an injury to the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) of the knee. At every test speed the Pearson product moment (r) and the Spearman rank (rs) correlation coefficients between the PT and PAI were highly significant for both muscle groups in the uninjured (r = .71-.96, rs = .76-.96) as well as in the injured (r = .70-.96, rs = .78-.98) knees. The results were the same between the PT and AP (uninjured knee: r = .83-.98, rs = .78-.95; injured knee; r = .64-.97, rs = .74-.96). In both knees and in both muscle groups the correlation coefficients increased towards the highest speed of the isokinetic movement, obviously since the PAI and AP were registered at that speed. In conclusion, concerning LCL insufficient or uninjured knees, the PAI or AP analysis may offer little additional information about thigh muscle function to that attained by more simple measurement, the PT analysis.