Effects of sitting and standing, reach distance, and arm orientation on isokinetic pull strengths in the horizontal plane

In recent years, isokinetic strengths (dynamic strength exertions at constant speed) have almost replaced isometric (static) strengths in laboratory studies as measures of a person's strength exertion capabilities. Many industries are also showing a keen interest in replacing static strength usage with dynamic strength usage. The increasing acceptance of isokinetic strengths as a more valid and accurate measure of people's strength exertion capability has necessitated the development of isokinetic strength databases. This paper presents one-arm isokinetic pull strength profiles of males, engaged in infrequent exertion in a horizontal plane, as a function of posture (sitting and standing), reach distance (25, 40, and 55 cm for the sitting posture; 45, 65, and 85 cm for the standing posture), and angle of the preferred (stronger) arm from the frontal plane (0—frontal plane, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 deg). Twenty-five males participated in the study. The results indicated that more strength is exerted while standing. The strength also increases with the reach distance. The strength exertion becomes stronger as the angle of the arm increases to 90° from the frontal plane (i.e., the arm moves to the sagittal plane) and then weakens.