Isokinetics.net

Category: Theory

  • Isokinetic Functional Capacity Evaluation Overview

    A Isokinetic Functional Capacity Evaluation (a derivative of functional capacity evaluation) is an objective comprehensive physical test of isolated joint and/or combined functional performance. They are used commonly to determine ability for work, activities of daily living, or leisure activities. Functional capacity evaluation (FCE) was identified in America in the 1980s and was a response…

  • Pre Employment

    Physical assessments or pre employment checks are accepted as a prerequisite to employment in many industries, particularly for safety-sensitive job positions. Such assessments routinely include vision and hearing tests for employees (for example heavy goods vehicle drivers), drug and alcohol testing (for example in the airline industry for pilots), and hearing and spirometry tests required to…

  • Vocational Injury Management

    Vocational Assessment/Rehabilitation Isokinetics machines are routinely used in injury management world wide. They are accepted as reliable, reproducible and valid for the assessment and rehabilitation of injuries by the clinical and research communities. Each year literally thousands of peer reviewed pieces of research are produced on the uses of isokinetics machines in medicine. In the…

  • FCE Reliability & Validity

    Reliability & Validity of Isokinetic Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE): Objectivity. Objectivity refers to the indication that the test measurements are relatively unbiased by either the participant or the evaluator. Objectivity in testing can be increased when the testing procedures and practices for observation and scoring are clearly defined and documented. In isokinetic testing this is assured…

  • Specificity To Sports

    It is generally accepted that testing muscle performance isokinetically is not directly related to function. It would seem obvious that movements performed at constant angular velocity are completely unrelated to those seen in most activities particularly sports where rapid periods of acceleration are followed by high speed limb movements which can not be reproduced by…

  • Reproducibility

    In 1985 Mayhew and Rothstein published work on measurement of muscle performance with instruments. In their book emphasis was placed upon the issues of reproducibility and validity. Most of the problem have now been solved, however, a few have not been circumvented. Advances in engineering and computer science have made systems more versatile and much…

  • Reliability

    The reliability of isokinetic dynamometers is extremely high. The studies which have examined the accuracy of peak torque, work and power have shown correlation coefficients between 0.93 and 0.99 (Magnusson et al. 1990, Montgomery et al. 1989 Bemben et al.1989 are just a few of the independent articles available on this topic). The reliability of…

  • Validity

    Content Validity Is what you measure relevant to muscle performance? Isokinetic dynamometry has content validity with respect to specific aspects of muscle performance. For instance, maximum isokinetic derived power (during plantar flexion) is reached at the functional velocity equal to that of toe off during walking. Or as velocity increases force generation decreases but average…

  • General Interpretation

    Irrespective of the joint/muscle system involved there are some basic principles which form a basis for interpretation. These are discussed in a lot of studies but are best described in Sapega (1990). Strength: In the case of testing only one side then the opposite side should be used as a reference (this is not the…

  • Isomap

    Biodex systems 3 and 4 use Isomap as a type of report. In essence an isomap looks at torque and position like an ordinary MAP curve but it then adds speed (3 speeds are tested and shown) to the equation which produces a coloured ‘map’ showing deficits in strength or speed production both related to angle. In the…