Lab 4 Isokinetic Testing

Overview
The term isokinetic was originally used to describe a constant speed of muscle shortening.
Today, its used to describe a muscle contraction that is associated with a constant angular
velocity of a joint. To measure isokinetic contractions, the joint must move at a constant pre-set
velocity (typically degrees per second) regardless of the force applied by muscular activity. An
isokinetic testing device will allow a tester to control the rate of movement and to measure
torque (rotational force) production throughout the range of motion. This gives the tester
valuable information that may be used to diagnose impairments or for therapy and/or the
enhancement of sport performance.
The purpose of this lab is to expose students to isokinetic testing and the data that comes from
such testing.

Equipment needed
1. An isokinetic-testing machine. For this lab, we will use the Biodex system in the UW-L
Athletic Training Room (10 Mitchell Hall).

Your assignment
1. View the testing video with the lab instructor
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhV56ckwIfI).
a. Warm up on a stationary bicycle for approximately five minutes prior to testing
b. Enter subjects personal data and set test parameters
c. Biodex setup for leg extensions
d. Subject and mechanical positioning and securing
e. Calibrate beginning and ending positions
f. Check sensors
g. Complete testing
2. For this lab we recorded rotational force (torque) values during leg extensions at
maximal contraction for the following conditions:
a. Concentric
i. Slow (60 per second)
ii. Moderate (120 per second)
iii. Fast (180 per second)
b. Eccentric
i. Slow (60 per second)
ii. Moderate (120 per second)
iii. Fast (180 per second)

Lab report instructions

1. Graph of first data set
a. Download the first set of Biodex data from the class website
b. Open the file in Microsoft Excel
c. Add the label Averages to the right of the data (to the right of Rep 5)
d. Calculate row averages for all five repetitions
e. Place the label Averages below the last velocity value (below -180)
f. Calculate column averages for each of the five repetitions
g. Create a Scatterplot graph with velocity on the X-axis and average torque on the
Y-axis (remember that positive values are concentric and negative values are
eccentric)
i. Move chart to a new sheet
ii. Move the Y-axis to the left edge
iii. Remove legend and gridlines
iv. Set marker style to size 10 circles
v. Set marker color to black
vi. Adjust X and Y axis scales as needed
vii. Add a black frame around the plot area
viii. Add axis labels (with units) and a title (Figure 1: Force-velocity Curve,
Your Name)
ix. Add curved trendline between data points (polynomial: order 3)
x. Annotate a vertical isometric line at zero on the X-axis.
xi. Annotate concentric, isometric, and eccentric labels on the graph
xii. Set all font sizes to 18 points
xiii. Save and then print Figure 1 and the spreadsheet
2. Graph of second data set
a. Download the second set of Biodex data from the class website
b. Open the file in Microsoft Excel
c. Create a graph showing position on the X-axis and torque on the Y-axis
i. Move chart to a new sheet
ii. Remove legend and gridlines
iii. Set marker style to size 10 circles
iv. Set marker color to black
v. Adjust X and Y axis scales as needed
vi. Add a black frame around the plot area
vii. Add axis labels (with units) and a title (Figure 2: Length-tension
Relationship, Your Name)
viii. Add curved trendline between data points (polynomial: order 2)
ix. Set all font sizes to 18 points
x. Save and then print Figure 2
3. Use a word processor to answer the following questions
a. Describe what happened to average force production from rep 1 to 5.
b. How closely did the shapes of your graphed data match what you saw in the
textbook and/or PowerPoint lecture notes?
c. What does the force-velocity curve tell you about force production and velocity?
d. What does the length-tension relationship tell you about force production at
different muscle lengths?
4. Turn in hard copies (NOT email attachments) of both printed charts, the first data set
spreadsheet, and your word processor document.