Background: The measurement of the strength of the shoulder muscles is an important element of the overall assessment of patients with various shoulder disorders. However, the clinical utilization of this measurement is dependent on its reproducibility. Objects: To explore the reproducibility of the measurements derived from testing of the isokinetic strength of shoulder muscles in patients with tendinitis of the rotator cuff. Methods: A total of 20 patients with tendinitis of the rotator cuff participated in this study and were assessed twice in 1 week. Isokinetic testing was performed concentrically for shoulder flexors, abductors, and external rotators and eccentrically for the shoulder extensors, adductors, and internal rotators. The relative and absolute reproducibility of the peak torque (PT) and ratios were assessed using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM), and minimal clinically important difference (MCID), respectively. Results: Overall, high to excellent ICC, clinically acceptable SEM and MCID values were obtained for the PT (ICC: .83-.95, SEM: 1.2%-9%, MCID: 3.4%-25%) and ratios (ICC: .85-.93, SEM: 5.1%-10%, MCID: 14.2%-27.6%). Conclusion: These findings suggest that isokinetic tests may be effectively utilized for the determination of shoulder strength profiles and appropriate position are recommended to perform test without pain in patients with tendinitis of the rotator cuff.

The purpose of this study was to establish modified physiological cost index (PCI) for predicting energy consumption by heart rate (HR) at isokinetic ergometer exercise testing. The subjects were twenty-eight healthy men in their twenties. All of them performed upper and lower extremity isokinetic ergometer exercise tests which had six loads (400, 500, 600, 700, 800, and 900 kg-m/min) and five loads (400, 500, 600, 700, and 800 kg-m/min) respectively. The exercise sessions were finished when HR was in plateau. HR and oxygen consumption were determined during the final minute. Resting heart rate and oxygen consumption were used for calculating heart rate, oxygen consumption changes and modified PCI. Regression analysis established the relationship between each variable to work load, HR and oxygen consumption. The results were as follows: 1) In the lower extremity ergometer exercise test, oxygen consumption increased continuously as work load increased, but in the upper extremity ergometer test, oxygen consumption only increased until work load was 700 kg-m/min. 2) HR increased as work load increased in both exercise tests, but in the upper extremity ergometer test, HR decreased from the 700 kg-m/min. 3) The modified PCI increased as work load mcreased until the 700 kg-m/min point in the lower extremity ergometer test and until the 500 kg-m/min point in the upper extremity ergometer test when it started to decrease in both tests. 4) In the lower extremity ergometer exercise test, regression analysis established the relation as = -.0215HR - .2141 where is given in l/min and HR in beat/min ( = .2677, p = .000). ln the upper extremity ergometer exercise test. regression analysis established the relation as = -.0115HR + .2746 ( = .1308, p = .000). The results of this study were similar to previous studies but were different under high work load conditions. So modified PCI should be used with only low intensity work load testing. Subjects for upper extremity ergometer exercise testing should complete a prescribed training course prior to testing, and only low intensity work load should be used for safety considerations.