Propriedades psicométricas da dinamometria isométrica em indivíduos saudáveis

Abstract

Muscle strength assessments are often used to measure muscle performance, allowing the physical therapist to diagnose weaknesses or modification, to compare the effectiveness of treatments and guide possible interventions. The knowledge of the maximum muscular strength that an individual has is a necessary component to develop an adequate rehabilitation program. Objectives: The main objective of the present study is to test the psychometric properties and the isometric dynamometry’s operationalization of lower limb in healthy individuals. The secondary objective is to systematically review the literature, identifying the reference’s values and procedures for manual isometric dynamometry. Methodology: Meta-analysis was carried out according to the Preferred Items guidelines for Reports for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA). Articles with reference values for manual dynamometry of the lower limbs published until June 2019 were included. Isometric muscle strength assessment of lower limbs was performed with a Lafayette dynamometer to test the reliability of the instrument and the operationalization of the measurement. Results: 17 studies were included, and 1,342 items of normative data related to 10 different muscle groups were extracted. Conclusion: The results of this research add scientific information on the relationship between muscle strength and age, as well as muscle strength and sex. Manual isometric dynamometry demonstrated good to excellent reliability in assessing muscle strength of lower limbs in a healthy population. The performance of one measurement, after familiarization with the test, did not reduce the reliability of the intraclass coefficient.