Muscle Quality and Functional and Conventional Ratios of Trunk Strength in Young Healthy Subjects: A Pilot Study

Background: The trunk strength conventional ratio (CR) has been evaluated. However, the functional ratio and the ratio of strength to body weight (BW) or muscle mass (MM) have been poorly explored. Relative strength is a measure of muscle quality. Objectives: To analyze the trunk strength ratio normalized by BW and MM and compare the trunk's conventional and functional ratios collected in isokinetic and isometric conditions. Methods: Twenty-seven healthy males (21.48 +/- 2.08 years, 70.22 +/- 7.65 kg) were evaluated for trunk isometric and isokinetic strength using a functional electromechanical dynamometer. Results: The extensor's strength was greater than the flexors, with a CR of 0.41 +/- 0.10 to 0.44 +/- 0.10. Muscle quality was higher in eccentric contraction and high velocity for flexors and extensors. The functional flexor ratio (FFR) ranged between 0.41 +/- 0.09 and 0.92 +/- 0.27. The functional extensor ratio (FER) ranged between 2.53 +/- 0.65 and 4.92 +/- 1.26. The FFR and FER showed significant differences between velocities when considering the peak strength (p = 0.001) and mean strength (p = 0.001). Conclusions: Trunk extensors were stronger than the flexors; thus, the CR was less than one. Muscle quality was higher at a high velocity. Unlike CR, FFR and FER behaved differently at distinct velocities. This finding highlights the need to explore the behavior of the functional ratio in different populations.