Normalisation of muscle strength for body size : The role of the function assessed

• The role of body size has often been neglected in routine tests of muscle strength and movement performance. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that different types of functional movement performance require different normalisations in order to assess muscle strength. Twenty-one right-handed male university students were tested on the following functional movement tasks: vertical jump, standing soccer ball kick, seated medicine ball throw and standing maximal isometric lift. Isokinetic strength of active muscle \, groups was also recorded. The performance of the vertical jump and standing s9ccer ball kick demonstrated stronger relationship with the strength of active muscles normalised for body size, while the performance of the s~ated medicine ball throw and standing maximal Iisometric lift demonstrated stronger relationship with the non- normalised strength. It was concluded that the ability of performing functional movements based on overcoming gravitational and/or inertial resistance of subject's own body (such as keeping certain body postures, or various body movements) should be assessed by the tested muscle strength normalised for body size, while the functional performance based on muscle action performed against external objects (e.g. manual material handling, or lifting heavy objects) should be assessed by the non-normalised muscle strength. The obtained f"mdings proved to be in line with our recently proposed classification of muscle strength and functional movement tests based on the role of body size in the re~orded performance.

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