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Performance characteristics of the Kin-Com dynamometer
T P Mayhew1, J M Rothstein, S D Finucane
1Department of Physical Therapy, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond 23298.
Background And Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to assess the performance characteristics of a Kin-Com dynamometer (model #500-11) under controlled conditions.
Methods:
Comparisons were made between measurements of force, angle, and velocity obtained from the Kin-Com and measurements acquired from an external recording system of known weights, angles, and user-set velocities. The strength of the linear relationships between measurements obtained with the different recording systems was analyzed using a coefficient of determination (r2). An intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC[2,1]) was used to examine the reliability of the force, angle, and velocity measurements obtained with each recording system on 2 different days.
Results:
In all conditions, the coefficient of determination for the force, angle, and velocity comparisons was above .99. The ICC for between-day comparisons for all force, angle, and velocity measurements was above .99.
Conclusion And Discussion:
Our results indicate that the static measurements of force and angle that are necessary for use in the gravity-correction procedure and isometric testing are accurate and replicable between days. The Kin-Com dynamometer's control system regulating lever arm velocity is also accurate and replicable under a no-load condition. It was ascertained during the velocity testing that the use of any acceleration and deceleration mode other than "high" resulted in a loss of excursion of the lever arm.