Lower extremity isometric joint torque in children with juvenile chronic arthritis

Objective: To determine the intratester reliability of joint torque testing with a hand-held dynamometer (HHD) during contractions of four major lower extremity muscles in children with juvenile chromic arthritis (JCA) and to compare results for children with JCA to results for children without disa bility. Methods: Eleven children with JCA and 14 children with normal musculoskelet al function were tested with a HHD using isometric muscle contractions of t he right quadriceps. hamstrings, tibialis anterior and triceps surae. Results: Intratester reliability values exceeded the 0.92 level, regardless of the number of trials, fur all motions tested. Statistically lower joint torque values were found in a subgroup of children with JCA for contractio ns of the tibialis anterior (p=0.003) and triceps surae (p=0.05) muscles. Conclusions: HHD offers a reliable means of testing the joint torque genera ted with contraction of these lower extremity muscles in children with JCA. Findings in children with JCA compared to children without disability agre e with previous reports concerning quadriceps muscle function, but also poi nt to concerns for muscles associated with generating ankle joint torque.