ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to critically appraise and summarize the evidence for reliability of muscle strength and muscle power assessment in patients with neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) using isokinetic dynamometry. METHODS: PubMed, CINAHL, and Embase electronic databases were searched from inception to March 8, 2022. Studies designed to evaluate reliability of muscle strength and power measurements using isokinetic dynamometry were included in this review. First, the methodological quality of the studies was assessed according to the Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments guidelines. Next, the quality of measurement properties was determined. Finally, the methodological quality and quality of measurement properties of the studies were combined to obtain a best-evidence synthesis. RESULTS: A best-evidence synthesis of reliability was performed in 11 studies including postpoliomyelitis syndrome (n = 5), hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy (n = 2), motor neuron diseases (n = 1), myotonic dystrophy (n = 1), and groups of pooled NMDs (n = 2). A best-evidence synthesis on measurement error could not be performed. Quality of evidence on reliability ranged from high in postpoliomyelitis syndrome to very low in hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy, motor neuron diseases, and groups of pooled NMDs. The most frequently used outcome measure was peak torque, which was reliable in all populations (intraclass correlation coefficient >0.7). CONCLUSION: The quality of evidence for reliability of isokinetic dynamometry was found to vary substantially among different NMDs. High quality of evidence has been obtained only in patients with postpoliomyelitis syndrome. Further research is needed in the majority of known NMDs to determine reliability and validity of isokinetic dynamometry. IMPACT: The ability of isokinetic dynamometers to capture clinically relevant changes in muscle strength and muscle power in NMDs remains unclear. Isokinetic dynamometry results in NMDs should be interpreted with caution.
Subject(s)
Hereditary Sensory and Motor Neuropathy , Neuromuscular Diseases , Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome , Humans , Muscle Strength Dynamometer , Reproducibility of Results , Muscle Strength/physiology , Muscles , Muscle, Skeletal/physiologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: In recent decades, improving fitness has become an important goal in rehabilitation medicine in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP). AIMS: To compare body mass index (BMI), performance-related fitness, and cardiorespiratory fitness of children with CP measured in 2014 with a comparable sample from 2004. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: In total, 25 high-functioning children with CP (i.e., GMFCS I-II) measured in 2004 (13 boys; mean age 13.2 (2.6) years) were matched to 25 children measured in 2014. Outcomes included body mass and BMI, muscle power sprint test (MPST), 10×5m sprint test, and a shuttle run test (SRT). Data of 15 participants from 2004 (10 boys; mean age 12.6 (2.5) years) were matched and analysed for VO2peak. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Body mass and BMI were higher (both: p<0.05) in the 2014 cohort compared to the 2004 cohort. Further, performance-related fitness was better for the 2014 cohort on the MPST (p=0.004), the 10×5m sprint test (p=0.001), and the SRT (p<0.001). However, there were no differences for VO2peak. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: In high-funcitoning children with CP, there are positive ecological time trends in performance-related fitness, but not in VO2peak between 2004 and 2014. The substantial higher body mass and BMI is alarming and requires further investigation.
Subject(s)
Body Mass Index , Cardiorespiratory Fitness/physiology , Cerebral Palsy/physiopathology , Oxygen Consumption/physiology , Adolescent , Cerebral Palsy/rehabilitation , Child , Cohort Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Physical Fitness/physiology , Reference Values , Task Performance and AnalysisABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To validate the Muscle Power Sprint Test (MPST) against the Wingate Anaerobic cycling Test (WAnT) in a group of youth with cerebral palsy (CP). METHODS: Twenty children and adolescents (11 boys and 9 girls; mean age = 14.8 years) with spastic CP, and classified as either level I or II of the Gross Motor Function Classification System, completed the study. RESULTS: Very strong significant correlations were seen for peak power (PP) and mean power (MP) from the MPST and WAnT PP and MP values (PP: r = 0.731, P < .001; MP: r = 0.903, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show that the MPST is a valid test for measuring anaerobic capacity in children with CP, and that this test can be used as an evaluation tool for anaerobic performance in exercise interventions focusing on children and adolescents with CP who are able to walk or run independently.
