TORQUE OF TRUNK FLEXION AND TRUNK FLEXION WITH AXIAL ROTATION IN HEALTHY-MEN AND WOMEN

The purpose of this study was to determine normal values for torque of trunk flexion and trunk flexion with axial rotation. Eighty-two healt hy subjects (39 men, 43 women) were tested for isometric torque of tru nk flexion at four angles, and eccentric and concentric torque at 30-d egrees/sec. All tests were performed in three positions of axial rotat ion: neutral rotation, trunk rotated 30-degrees to the right, and trun k rotated 30-degrees to the left. The results of two separate three-wa y analyses of variance (gender vs. position vs. angle/contraction) ind icated that the torque of men was greater than that of women, eccentri c torque was greater than concentric, and the torque in neutral rotati on was greater than in right or left rotation. Isometric torque decrea sed with increased trunk flexion. Regression and correlation analyses demonstrated that gender was generally the best predictor of torque, a nd that all the torque measures were significantly correlated.