Isokinetic testing in patients with hemiparesis. A pilot study.

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Hemiparesis, often resulting from stroke, leads to significant motor deficits.
• Quadriceps femoris and hamstring muscle weakness are common impairments in hemiparetic individuals.
• Objective assessment of muscle function is crucial for rehabilitation planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To objectively quantify quadriceps femoris and hamstring muscle function in patients with hemiparesis.
• To compare muscle performance between the involved and uninvolved sides of hemiparetic patients.
• To compare hemiparetic patients' muscle function to that of healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Cybex II isokinetic dynamometer for muscle function assessment.
• Measured peak torque, limb excursion, and time factors at 30°/sec and 180°/sec.
• Compared data from 15 hemiparetic patients against 15 age-, sex-, and weight-matched healthy subjects.

Main Results:

• Hemiparetic patients showed significantly lower peak torque in both quadriceps femoris and hamstring muscles on both affected and unaffected sides compared to controls.
• The involved side exhibited reduced limb excursion and prolonged tension development and reciprocal contraction times.
• Increased fatigability at higher speeds was observed on the involved side of hemiparetic patients.

Conclusions:

• Isokinetic dynamometry provides objective data on quadriceps femoris and hamstring muscle performance in hemiparesis.
• Significant muscle deficits exist even on the uninvolved side in hemiparetic patients.
• These findings highlight the utility of isokinetic testing for evaluating and guiding rehabilitation in hemiparetic populations.