Isokinetics

With isokinetic muscle contractions, the muscle speed remains constant throughout the movement. As a muscle’s force changes via the length-tension relationship during a contraction, an isotonic contraction will keep force constant while velocity changes, but an isokinetic contraction will keep velocity constant while force changes. Essentially, this can often be a safer and more beneficial means of testing and rehabilitation, particularly for individuals recovering from acute injury. The equipment required for this kind of training and rehabilitation (known as a cybex or biodex) is not always readily available in South Africa for various reasons, particularly the high cost involved, but at Stuart McDade Biokineticists it is a daily function of the practice and has produced significantly better results in patients, particularly with orthopaedic conditions.