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. 2018 May-Jun;22(3):231-237.
doi: 10.1016/j.bjpt.2017.12.002. Epub 2017 Dec 12.

Trunk flexor and extensor muscle performance in chronic stroke patients: a case-control study

Ludmylla Ferreira Quintino  1 , Juliane Franco  1 , Amanda Ferreira Machado Gusmão  1 , Paula Fernanda De Sousa Silva  1 , Christina Danielli Coelho De Morais Faria  2
Affiliations

Trunk flexor and extensor muscle performance in chronic stroke patients: a case-control study

Ludmylla Ferreira Quintino et al. Braz J Phys Ther. 2018 May-Jun.

Abstract

Background: Although chronic stroke patients commonly show impairment of trunk muscle performance, this disability has only been analyzed in terms of peak torque. Therefore, other measures are needed for a more adequate description.

Objective: This study aimed to compare concentric muscle performance of trunk flexor/extensor muscles between chronic stroke patients and matched-healthy subjects.

Methods: 18 chronic stroke patients and 18 healthy subjects were matched according to their age, sex, body mass index and level of physical activity. After familiarization, trunk flexor/extensor concentric muscle strength was measured using an isokinetic dynamometer (Biodex Medical Systems Inc, Shirley, NY, USA) with 3 repetitions at a velocity of 60°/s and 5 repetitions at a velocity of 120°/s. Trunk muscular performance was characterized by peak torque, torque at 90°, total work, and total work normalized by trunk mass. Student's t-test was used for independent samples (α=0.05) for group comparisons.

Results: All trunk muscle performance variables values investigated were significantly lower in chronic stroke patients when compared to matched-healthy subjects (p≤0.001). The obtained ratios of chronic stroke patients scores to that of the matched-healthy subjects at velocities of 60°/s and 120°/s were, respectively: flexor peak torque (60% & 53%)/extensor (54% & 53%); flexor torque at 90° (56.20% & 36.58%)/extensor (57.92% & 30.65%); flexor total muscular work (51.27% & 38.03%)/extensor (47.97% & 39.52%); and flexor total muscular work normalized by trunk mass (55.57% & 40%)/extensor (51.40% & 42%).

Conclusions: Chronic stroke patients showed decreased trunk muscle performance when compared to matched-healthy subjects in all variables investigated.

Keywords: Muscle strength; Physical Therapy; Rehabilitation; Stroke; Trunk.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Positioning of a subject on the Biodex® isokinetic dynamometer to test flexor & extensor trunk flexor & extensor concentric muscle strength.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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