Peak torque, rate of torque development and average torque of isometric ankle and elbow contractions show excellent test-retest reliability.
Daniel Simpson, Monika Ehrensberger, Christopher Nulty and 4 others
PMID 31156318WHAT IT FOUND
Isometric tests of ankle and elbow strength show excellent reliability for peak torque, rate of torque development, and average torque.
Average torque, previously untested, was as reliable as the standard peak torque measure.
Key findings
01Test-retest reliability was excellent for all three strength parameters (peak torque, rate of torque development, and average torque) for both ankle dorsiflexion and elbow extension.
02Average torque over a single contraction demonstrated excellent reliability, comparable to peak torque, for both movements.
03There were no significant differences in mean scores between the first and second testing sessions for any measure.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small (n=12), limiting the ability to perform subgroup analyses by age or sex. Participants were healthy adults, so reliability in clinical populations (e.g., post-stroke) may differ. The wide age range (23 to 64 years) introduced heterogeneity, though the authors argue age should not affect reliability in healthy individuals. Elbow extension testing had a higher exclusion rate for invalid contractions, suggesting positioning or instruction challenges for this movement.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. Funding was provided by the Institute of Technology Sligo and the Irish Research Council.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this reliability applies directly to clinical populations with impaired motor control, such as those with stroke. The study was conducted in healthy adults, and the authors note that positioning difficulties in impaired populations may lower reliability.