Prediction of Isokinetic Leg Strength From Anthropometric Dimensions in Male College Athletes

Abstract

------------------. -----------------The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of predicting isokinetic knee extension and flexion peak torques from anthropometric dimensions. Male college athletes (N = 105) were evaluated for concentric isokinetic knee extension and flexion torques at 60, 120, 300, and 450 deg/sec using a Biodex dynamometer. Anthropometric dimensions included height, body mass, lean body mass (LBM), percent fat, age, and other various measured and derived leg indices. Multiple regression analysis on a validity sample (n = 80) selected midthigh cross-sectional area «(SA), height, and LBM to predict knee extension torques at 60, 120, 300, and 450 deg/sec (R = .70-.80); at 300 deg/sec, body mass replaced LBM in the prediction equation (R = .79). Muscle (SA was the only variable common to all prediction equations to estimate knee flexion torque at all speeds, although the multiple correlations remained comparable (R = .55-.80).