The effects of motor adaptation on ankle isokinetic assessments in older drivers

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to analyze the extent of motor adaptation in ankle plantar flexors and dorsiflexors among older drivers during clinical isokinetic testing. METHODS: One hundred older adults (70.4±5.7 years) participated in two bilateral ankle plantar flexor and dorsiflexor isokinetic assessments at 30°/sec. Peak torque (PTQ), PTQ adjusted for body weight (PTQ/BW), and total work (TW) were analyzed. RESULTS: On the dominant side, PTQ/BW and TW were significantly greater for the second plantar flexion test than were those for the first such test (p<0.001), whereas PTQ, PTQ/BW, and TW (p<0.001) were significantly greater for the second dorsiflexion test than were those for the first such test. On the non-dominant side, plantar flexion PTQ and TW were significantly lower for the second test than were those for the first test (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Older drivers demonstrated better performance with the dominant limb on the second test. The low variability in test execution showed the existence of a motor adaptation effect for the tested movements, despite the short recovery period between the assessments.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Alonso,Angelica Castilho, Brech,Guilherme Carlos, Ernandes,Rita de Cássia, Rodrigues,Douglas, Ayama,Sérgio, Canonica,Alexandra Carolina, Luna,Natália Mariana Silva, Santos,Sileno da Silva, Mochizuki,Luis, Peterson,Mark, Garcez-Leme,Luiz Eugênio, Greve,Júlia Maria D’Andréa
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Faculdade de Medicina / USP 2018
Online Access:	http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1807-59322018000100250
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