Reliability of Isometric Knee Extension Muscle Strength Measurement Using a Hand-held Dynamometer with a Belt: A Study of Test-retest Reliability in Healthy Elderly Subjects

Abstract

Abstract.[Purpose] The purpose of this research was to study the test-retest reliability of isometric knee extension muscle strength measurement using a hand-held dynamometer (HHD) with a belt, with healthy elderly people living in the community as subjects.[Subjects] The subjects were healthy elderly people living in the community, with an average age of 70.5 years, and measurements were made of the leg on the side that was used to kick a ball.[Method] The subjects sat on a mat table, and isometric knee extension muscle strength measurements using a HHD with a belt were conducted twice, at an interval of 30 seconds, with a knee flexion angle of 90 degrees. The measurement values were classified according to the gender of the subjects, and by age group 65-69 years, 70-74 years, and 75 years and above, and studied. Testretest reliability was studied using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and checks of the differentials.[Results] The ICC(1,1) between the first and second measurements ranged from 0.85 to 0.92. Apart from the group of men aged 75 years and above, the second measurement values were higher than those of the first.[Conclusion] Test-retest reliability of isometric knee extension muscle strength measurement using a HHD with a belt was high in healthy elderly persons. However, measuring only once, or measuring twice and taking the average was considered inappropriate, since there is the possibility that the values in such cases would be lower than the actual muscle strength.

Validity of Isometric Muscle Strength Measurements of the Lower Limbs Using a Hand-held Dynamometer and Belt: a Comparison with an Isokinetic Dynamometer

“…The limit of the manual resistance was reported to be from 220 to 294.2 N (30 kg) in previous studies [1][2][3][4][5][6] . Methods previously reported for fixing a HHD to overcome this problem and prevent the angle of the joint from changing include using a stick 7) , a steel support 8) , and a belt [9][10][11][12][13][14][15] . Among these studies, Katoh et al 12,13) used a belt to help steady the HDD and investigated the reliability of isometric muscle strength measurements of the lower limbs (flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, internal rotation and external rotation of the hip, flexion and extension of the knee, and dorsiflexion and plantar flexion of the ankle), in healthy men and women with a mean age of 20 years.…”

“…The measurements were significantly higher (paired t-test: p<0.05) when the belt was used 12) . Katoh et al 14,15) also investigated the reliability of isometric muscle strength measurements of knee extension using the HHD and belt of elderly subjects and hemiplegic patients. In the latter, ICC (1,1), obtained as above, was 0.91 for males and 0.88 for females, but the second values within the pairs of measurements were significantly higher than those of the first values (paired t-test: p<0.05) 14) .…”

“…Katoh et al 14,15) also investigated the reliability of isometric muscle strength measurements of knee extension using the HHD and belt of elderly subjects and hemiplegic patients. In the latter, ICC (1,1), obtained as above, was 0.91 for males and 0.88 for females, but the second values within the pairs of measurements were significantly higher than those of the first values (paired t-test: p<0.05) 14) . In hemiplegic patients, 3 measurements separated by 30-second rests were taken in 2 sessions over a period of days, and ICC(1,1) were 0.98, 0.99 for the paralyzed side and 0.98, 0.99 for the non-paralyzed side.…”

Test-retest Reliability of Isometric Knee Extension Muscle Strength Measurement using a Hand-held Dynamometer and a Belt: Study of Hemiplegic Patients

“…Katoh et al investigated the test-retest reliability of isometric knee extension muscle strength measurement using the same measurement method. They found that the ICC of two measurements with an interval of 30 seconds between them was 0.94-0.96 (three sessions) for healthy subjects with an average age of 21.9 years, while for healthy elderly subjects with an average age of 70.5 years it was 0.85-0.92 (with eight gender and age analysis divisions) 12,13) . In this research, isometric knee extension muscle strength measurement using an HHD with a belt is seen to also have high test-retest reliability in hemiplegic patients, in the same way as for healthy subjects.…”

“…Katoh et al also measured isometric knee muscle strength using an HHD in conjunction with a belt, and examined the test-retest reliability with 183 healthy elderly male and female subjects, average age of 70.5 years. They reported ICCs ranging from 0.85 to 0.92 for the 1 st and 2 nd measurements, a comparatively high reliability for the elderly 13) . However, in the studies conducted by Katoh et al, all of the subjects were healthy persons, and the reliability for subjects with health problems was not investigated.…”