Trunk flexor and extensor muscle performance in chronic stroke patients: a case-control study

Background: Although chronic stroke patients commonly show impairment of trunk muscle performance, this disability has only been analyzed in terms of peak torque. Therefore, other measures are needed for a more adequate description. Objective: This study aimed to compare concentric muscle performance of trunk flexor/extensor muscles between chronic stroke patients and matched-healthy subjects. Methods: 18 chronic stroke patients and 18 healthy subjects were matched according to their age, sex, body mass index and level of physical activity. After familiarization, trunk flexor/extensor concentric muscle strength was measured using an isokinetic dynamometer (Biodex Medical Systems Inc, Shirley, NY, USA) with 3 repetitions at a velocity of 60 degrees/s and 5 repetitions at a velocity of 120 degrees/s. Trunk muscular performance was characterized by peak torque, torque at 90 degrees, total work, and total work normalized by trunk mass. Student's t-test was used for independent samples (alpha = 0.05) for group comparisons. Results: All trunk muscle performance variables values investigated were significantly lower in chronic stroke patients when compared to matched-healthy subjects (p <= 0.001). The obtained ratios of chronic stroke patients scores to that of the matched-healthy subjects at velocities of 60 degrees/s and 120 degrees/s were, respectively: flexor peak torque (60% & 53%)/extensor (54% & 53%); flexor torque at 90 degrees (56.20% & 36.58%)/extensor (57.92% & 30.65%); flexor total muscular work (51.27% & 38.03%)/extensor (47.97% & 39.52%); and flexor total muscular work normalized by trunk mass (55.57% & 40%)/extensor (51.40% & 42%). Conclusions: Chronic stroke patients showed decreased trunk muscle performance when compared to matched-healthy subjects in all variables investigated. (C) 2017 Associacao Brasileira de Pesquisa e Pos-Graduacao em Fisioterapia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.