VALIDITY OF KNEE FLEXION AND EXTENSION PEAK TORQUE PREDICTION MODELS

The primary purpose of this study was to test the validity of predictive models relating isokinetic knee torque production to anthropometric and demographic variables. Subjects were 23 healthy female and 15 healthy male volunteers between the ages of 10 and 77 years. We measured subjects' peak knee flexion and extension torque production at two angular velocities. For each torque dependent variable, we calculated a Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient between the measured torque values and the values obtained with prediction equations. The difference between the squared value of the correlation coefficients and the regression multiple R2 values obtained for an original group of 134 subjects ranged between .05 and .10 for the torque dependent variables. The results indicate the validity of the regression models at the level specified by the multiple regression R2 values. Clinicians can use the prediction equations presented in this article to establish rehabilitation goals for patients and can estimate the error involved in applying each prediction equation.