Isokinetic findings in scoliosis: Their relationship to clinical measurements and reliability studies

Study design: This study assessed the applicability of dynamometric muscle evaluation in scoliosis. Objective: To assess the clinical applicability of the dynamometric muscle evaluation in scoliosis by reliability studies, its relations with the clinical measures, and comparison analysis with healthy subjects. Methods: Thirty five scoliotic female patients and 27 healthy women were evaluated dynamometrically muscle strengths, additionally the scoliotic women were evaluated by clinical measures. To assess the reliability of isokinetic muscle testing 20 scoliotic women were tested twice 1 week apart. Results: The ICCs ranged 0.81-0.96, except in the case of the knee extensor strength at 120 degrees/s. Curve angle was weakly correlated to trunk flexor strength at 90 degrees/s (r = 0.40), the curve pattern was moderately related to knee muscles' strengths (-0.46 < r < -0.57). Scoliotic women showed weaker isokinetic muscles strengths except the trunk extensors at 90 degrees/s. Conclusion: Isokinetic evaluation of trunk muscle strength may be an additional tool in assessing this patient group.