PEAK TORQUE, AVERAGE POWER, AND HAMSTRINGS QUADRICEPS RATIOS IN NONDISABLED ADULTS AND ADULTS WITH MENTAL-RETARDATION/

Objective: To compare isokinetic hamstring and quadriceps peak torque (Nm), average power (watts), and corresponding hamstring/quadriceps (H Q) ratios (as percentages) of adult men with Down syndrome (DS), with mental retardation without Down syndrome (NDS), and nondisabled sedent ary controls (SC). Design: Repeated measures analysis of variance. Set ting: Subjects were tested at a university exercise science laboratory . Subjects: Volunteer sample of 35 subjects: SC (n = 13), DS (n = 9), and NDS (n = 13). Intervention: Subjects performed isokinetic strength tests at 60 degrees/sec and 90 degrees/sec using gravity effected tor que procedures. Subjects with DS and NDS performed the test on two sep arate days with best results selected for statistical comparisons. Sed entary controls performed the test once. Main Outcome Measures: Isokin etic hamstring and quadriceps peak torque and average power, and corre sponding HQ ratios on a Cybex 340 isokinetic dynamometer.Results: In a ll isokinetic parameters measured, sedentary controls demonstrated sig nificantly higher scores than subjects with DS and NDS. There was no s ignificant difference between subjects with DS and NDS, although mean peak torque and average power scores were greater in subjects with NDS . Finally, there were no significant differences in peak torque and av erage power HQ ratios across groups (p > .01 ), although group mean pe ak torque HQ ratios were greatest for sedentary controls (range = 61% to 63%) and approximated accepted HQ ratio norms, and lowest for subje cts with DS (range = 40% to 46%). Conclusions: Individuals with mental retardation are in need of progressive resistance exercise programs t o improve hamstring and quadriceps strength and normalize HQ strength and power ratios. (C) 1996 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitat ion