An isokinetic study of submaximal effort in elbow flexion

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficiency of a protocol, used in previous studies in an extended form, for differentiation of submaximal from maximal effort in elbow flexion. 15 healthy men aged 21 to 55 years took part in two experimental conditions. In the maximal effort condition subjects were instructed to exert maximal concentric and eccentric efforts and in the best reproducible effort condition subjects were asked to exert similar but submaximal concentric and eccentric efforts which they could best reproduce. The amount of effort, represented by the average moment, was measured relative to two ranges of motion, 30 degrees and 60 degrees, at two angular speeds, 20 degrees/sec. and 60 degrees/sec., using 4 intermittent concentric-eccentric contractions. Both the eccentric/concentric strength ratios as well as the difference between these ratios at the high and the low speeds were highly effective in distinguishing maximal from submaximal efforts. Moreover, since the protocol was equally effective irrespective of the range of motion, it may be used to differentiate submaximal from maximal elbow flexion effort in noninjured subjects.