The relationship between lower extremity isokinetic work and single-leg functional hop-work test

Context: Lower extremity functional testing assesses strength, power, and neuromuscular control. There are only moderate correlations between distance hopped and isokinetic strength measures. Objective: Determine if incorporating body weight in the single-leg hop for distance increases the correlation to isokinetic measures. Study Design: Correlational study. Setting: Musculoskeletal laboratory. Participants: 30 healthy college students; 15 men and 15 women; ages 18 to 30 years. Main Outcome Measures: Isokinetic average peak torque and total work of quadriceps and hamstrings and single-leg hop work and distance. Results: Significant correlations include hop work to total-work knee extension (r = .89), average peak-torque knee extension (r = .88), distance hopped to total-work knee extension (r = .56) and average peak-torque knee extension (r = .63). Correlations involving hop work were greater than distance hopped (P < .05). Conclusions: Use of body weight in the assessment of distance hopped provides better information about the patient's lower extremity strength and ability than the distance hopped alone.