Objectives: To investigate the isokinetic peak torques of quadriceps and hamstring muscles in school- aged children in Al- Madinah Al- Munawarah city and to examine its relation with the flexibility of these muscles.
Materials and methods: A group of 50 healthy participant, age range from 8 to 19 years were recruited from three governmental schools. First, the investigators collected all demographic data followed by measuring quadriceps and hamstring flexibility. Biodex Isokinetic testing of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles of the dominant leg were examined using the concentric mode at 60° and 120°/sec. The protocol started off by having every participant to perform a general cardiovascular warm-up for at least 5 minutes on a Monark cycle ergometer. Each subject performed 3 concentric flexion and extension contractions at 60° and120°/s and the peak torques of knee flexors and extensors were recorded. The value retained was the average of the three peak contractions.
Results: There was a moderate positive correlation between quadriceps flexibility and quadriceps peak torque at 60 º (r = 0.516, p < 0.001). There was also moderate positive correlation between hamstring flexibility and hamstring peak torque at 60 º (r = 0.484, p < 0.001). Regarding the speed of 120°, there was a moderate positive correlation between quadriceps flexibility and quadriceps peak torque (r = 0.443, p < 0.001), while there was a weak positive correlation between hamstring flexibility and hamstring peak torque (r = 0.2, p = 0.315).
Conclusion: The study findings demonstrated that there is increase in muscle torque with age specific to this study sample group. The quadriceps and hamstring flexibility were moderately correlated to quadriceps and hamstring peak torque. Physical therapists are advised to instruct adolescents to maintain adequate muscles flexibility to increase muscle peak torque and decrease the likelihood for sustaining injuries.
Key words: Peak torque, adolescents, correlation, flexibility.
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