A Custom-Made Electronic Dynamometer for Evaluation of Peak Ankle Torque after COVID-19

Dragoi, Iulia Iovanca and Popescu, Florina Georgeta and Petrita, Teodor and Alexa, Florin and Tatu, Romulus Fabian and Bondor, Cosmina Ioana and Tatu, Carmen and Bowling, Frank L. and Reeves, Neil D. and Ionac, Mihai (2022) A Custom-Made Electronic Dynamometer for Evaluation of Peak Ankle Torque after COVID-19. Sensors, 22 (5): 2073. ISSN 1424-8220

Abstract

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.