Strength of forearm flexors and extensors in men and women.

Abstract

Strength ufforearmjexors and extensors in men and women. J. Appl. Physiol. 25(2) : 177-180. 1968.-The strength of the elbow flexors and extensors of both arms was measured in 12 men and 1.1 women by means of an electric dynamometer. The results showed that, with the exception of two conditions in men, there was no statistically significant difference in strength between the preferred and the nonpreferred arm. The exceptions were: isometric contraction of flexors at 50" and concentric contraction of extensors at 90'. In both instances the preferred arm was stronger. The average strength of extensors expressed in percent of flexors' strength in men varied from 53-55 for concentric, 47-48 for eccentric, and 52-57 for isometric contractions. In women it was 61-68 for concentric, 49-51 for eccentric, and 57-60 for isometric contractions. Expressed in percent of men's strength, the means of all tests for women were between 42-47 with one exception: the concentric strength of the flexors in the preferred arm, which ranged between 35-39.

Maximum isometric arm forces in the horizontal plane

“…We also found large differences in maximum hand force, ranging from 71 N for subject IR at hand position 1 in the À451 direction to 454 N for subject DG at the same hand position but in the +451 direction (see also Table 3). These values are well in the range of earlier reported results on maximum forces in the horizontal plane (Williams and Stutzman, 1959;Singh and Karpovich, 1968;Jørgensen and Bankov, 1971;Wartenweiler and Wettstein, 1971).…”

Individual muscle force parameters and fiber operating ranges for elbow flexion–extension and forearm pronation–supination

“…However, magnitudes of maximum isometric moment obtained experimentally varied greatly from subject to subject, with Garner and Pandy (2001) also confirming such variation in magnitude of average moment from different studies. Singh and Karpovich (1968) showed that females can have a maximum isometric torque as low as 39% of the maximum isometric torque of males, demonstrating a high degree of subject dependence involved in these studies. Another factor affecting variation of peak moments is the difference between in vivo and in vitro studies.…”

Gender Comparisons of Mechanomyographic Amplitude and Mean Power Frequency versus Isometric Torque Relationships

“…Given that males typically generate greater forearm flexion torque (which is related to muscle stiffness and intramuscular fluid pressure) than females (Singh & Karpovich, 1968), and the possibility for examining motor control strategies with the time and frequency domains of the MMG signal, examination of the influence of gender-related differences in strength on the MMG amplitude and mean power frequency vs. isometric torque relationships may provide information regarding the mechanism(s) responsible for the plateau or decrease in MMG amplitude at high torque levels during voluntary muscle actions. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine the MMG amplitude and mean power frequency vs. torque relationships in men and women during submaximal to maximal isometric muscle actions of the biceps brachii.…”