Knee Extensor Muscle Strength to Measure the Ability of Five Times Sit to Stand Independently in Patients with Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury.

BACKGROUND

Patients with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) and lower extremity muscle weakness often fall while standing up from a chair. The sit-to-stand (STS) task primarily uses the strength of the knee extensor muscles. The five times sit-to-stand test (FTSST) is often applied to determine lower limb function and the results are related to lower extremity muscle strength. This study explored the cut-off point for knee extensor muscle strength in patients with iSCI to independently determine their FTSST results and the correlation between knee extensor muscle strength and FTSST results.

METHODS

Forty-four participants were assessed for knee extensor muscle strength using a hand-held dynamometer (HHD) and the FTSST.

RESULTS

The data indicated that knee extensor muscle strength ≥ 53.06 Newton was the best independent predictor of the FTSST results (sensitivity 72.7%, specificity 72.7%). Moreover, knee extensor muscle strength was significant and correlated with the FTSST results (r = -0.45, P = 0.035).

CONCLUSION

The findings offer a cut-off point for the knee extensor muscle strength measured while standing up from a chair that may help medical professionals set rehabilitation goals for patients with iSCI.