A Custom-Made Electronic Dynamometer for Evaluation of Peak Ankle Torque after COVID-19
Iulia Iovanca Dragoi,
Florina Georgeta Popescu,
Teodor Petrita,
Florin Alexa,
Romulus Fabian Tatu,
Cosmina Ioana Bondor,
Carmen Tatu,
Frank L. Bowling,
Neil D. Reeves,
Mihai Ionac
Affiliations
Iulia Iovanca Dragoi
Department of Vascular Surgery and Reconstructive Microsurgery, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Florina Georgeta Popescu
Discipline of Occupational Health, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Teodor Petrita
Department of Communications, Politehnica University Timisoara, 2 Vasile Parvan, 300223 Timisoara, Romania
Florin Alexa
Department of Communications, Politehnica University Timisoara, 2 Vasile Parvan, 300223 Timisoara, Romania
Romulus Fabian Tatu
Department of Orthopaedics-Traumatology-Urology and Imagistics, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Cosmina Ioana Bondor
Department of Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Iuliu Hatieganu”, 8 Victor Babes, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Carmen Tatu
Department of Functional Sciences, Physiology, Center of Immuno-Physiology and Biotechnologies, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Frank L. Bowling
Department of Vascular Surgery and Reconstructive Microsurgery, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Neil D. Reeves
Research Centre for Musculoskeletal Science & Sports Medicine, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, Oxford Rd., Manchester M1 5GD, UK
Mihai Ionac
Department of Vascular Surgery and Reconstructive Microsurgery, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
The negative effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the musculoskeletal system include symptoms of fatigue and sarcopenia. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of COVID-19 on foot muscle strength and evaluate the reproducibility of peak ankle torque measurements in time by using a custom-made electronic dynamometer. In this observational cohort study, we compare two groups of four participants, one exposed to COVID-19 throughout measurements and one unexposed. Peak ankle torque was measured using a portable custom-made electronic dynamometer. Ankle plantar flexor and dorsiflexor muscle strength was captured for both feet at different ankle angles prior and post COVID-19. Average peak torque demonstrated no significant statistical differences between initial and final moment for both groups (p = 0.945). An increase of 4.8%, p = 0.746 was obtained in the group with COVID-19 and a decrease of 1.3%, p = 0.953 was obtained in the group without COVID-19. Multivariate analysis demonstrated no significant differences between the two groups (p = 0.797). There was a very good test–retest reproducibility between the measurements in initial and final moments (ICC = 0.78, p < 0.001). In conclusion, peak torque variability is similar in both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 groups and the custom-made electronic dynamometer is a reproducible method for repetitive ankle peak torque measurements.
