Standardizing Reporting Practices for Isokinetic Testing: a Delphi Study

Isokinetic testing plays a crucial role in research and clinical practice, particularly for evaluating muscle strength, functional performance, and imbalances between muscle groups in fields such as rehabilitation, sports medicine, and orthopedics. Despite its widespread use, there is no international consensus on how to standardize protocols or report results, leading to significant variability in methodologies, measurement parameters, and data presentation.

This Delphi method study aims to develop a consensus framework for standardizing the reporting of isokinetic testing data, ensuring consistency and comparability in research and clinical practices.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Developing a Consensus Framework to Standardize Isokinetic Testing Data Reporting
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Delphi method survey

Detailed Description

Isokinetic tests are widely used in research and clinical practice to evaluate muscle strength, imbalances between muscle groups, and functional performance. These assessments are particularly important in rehabilitation, sports medicine, and orthopedics. However, the diversity in testing protocols, measured parameters, and reporting methods creates significant challenges for the comparability and interpretation of results.

Currently, there is no international consensus on how to report isokinetic test results. Scientific publications and clinical reports vary greatly in methodologies, units of measurement, and presentation of findings. Additionally, there is considerable heterogeneity in how results are presented, particularly regarding essential elements that ensure methodological reproducibility. This variability complicates the synthesis of data across studies and limits their practical application. As a result, healthcare professionals and researchers struggle to compare results, replicate studies, or effectively use the data in clinical decision-making.

The need to standardize reporting practices for isokinetic tests is therefore clear. A standardized framework would harmonize reporting, facilitate comparisons between studies, support the evaluation of therapeutic interventions, and improve the monitoring of patients or athletes over time. It would also enhance transparency and scientific rigor, which are critical for advancing knowledge and improving care.

The Delphi method, used in this study, is particularly suited to addressing this issue. It relies on an iterative process to gather the opinions of a panel of experts and establish a consensus on specific recommendations. By involving experts from various fields (physicians, physiotherapists, kinesiologists, and sport physiologists), this method ensures that the recommendations reflect a broad and balanced perspective. It also helps structure and prioritize key points, identifying essential elements for a standardized report.

The results of this study are expected to have several significant outcomes. First, they will provide a clear framework for standardizing the reporting of isokinetic tests, improving the quality and utility of the data reported. Second, this framework could be adopted internationally, fostering better collaboration between researchers and clinicians. Finally, it could serve as a foundation for developing official guidelines or recommendations, enhancing the validity and impact of isokinetic testing in clinical and scientific practices.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 30

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Joffrey DRIGNY, MD PhD; Phone Number: +33 0231064892; Email: drigny-j@chu-caen.fr

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population includes a diverse group of experts such as physicians, physiotherapists, kinesiologists, and sport physiologists. These professionals are selected for their expertise in isokinetic testing and its application in clinical practice, rehabilitation, and sports science. The panel aims to represent a broad range of perspectives to ensure a comprehensive and standardized framework for reporting isokinetic testing data.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Demonstrated knowledge or experience in isokinetic testing, such as research, clinical practice, or equipment design.
• Clinicians, researchers, educators, or professionals with relevant expertise in rehabilitation, sports medicine, biomechanics, or related fields.
• At least 5 peer-reviewed publication (first author) or equivalent contribution in the field of isokinetic testing or related domains.
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in a relevant field.
• Agreement to participate in all Delphi rounds and provide informed consent.
• Ability to communicate and provide responses in the language used for the study (English).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Professionals with conflicts of interest that could bias their contributions, such as direct financial ties to specific isokinetic testing equipment manufacturers.
• Inability or unwillingness to commit to the iterative Delphi process, including providing timely responses to questionnaires.
• Accidental inclusion of an expert already represented in another capacity within the study (e.g., as a member of the organizing committee).

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Intervention / Treatment

Group of experts in the field of isokinetic testing; A panel of experts in isokinetic testing, including physicians, physiotherapists, kinesiologists and exercise physiologists with significant expertise and recognition, will participate in a Delphi process to establish a consensus on standardizing data reporting.

Other: Delphi method survey; This intervention involves a Delphi method study, where a panel of experts in isokinetic testing will collaborate to reach a consensus on best practices for standardizing the reporting of isokinetic test data. Unlike other clinical studies, this intervention focuses on gathering expert opinions iteratively to establish a unified framework for data reporting, without direct clinical or experimental treatment. The process includes multiple rounds of feedback, refining key elements related to testing protocols, measurement parameters, and result presentation, ensuring broad expertise from various fields such as medicine, rehabilitation, and biomechanics.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Consensus on Key Elements for Standardized Reporting of Isokinetic Testing	The proportion of agreement among experts on the key elements to include in a standardized framework for reporting isokinetic testing data, as determined by the final round of the Delphi process. Agreement will be defined as at least 80% agreement (4 or 5 on a 5 -level Likert scale, minimum=1 maximum=5, 5 corresponding to 'strongly agree')	At the completion of the final Delphi round (approximately 6 months).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Years of Professional Practice	Average and range of years of professional experience in fields related to isokinetic testing (e.g., sports medicine, rehabilitation, research).	At the beginning of the Delphi process (baseline).
Academic Contributions	Number of peer-reviewed publications or other academic contributions related to isokinetic testing or related fields, self-reported by the participants.	At the beginning of the Delphi process (baseline).
Open Survey to Inform Delphi Rounds	The identification and categorization of items related to isokinetic testing, informed by an initial literature review and expert input during Round 1 of the Delphi process.	At the end of the first Delphi round (approximately 2 month)
Prioritization of Reporting Items	Ranking of reporting items by importance ("1 = optional", "2 = recommended", "3 = essential"), with 'essential' indicating that the item is mandatory, based on iterative feedback from Delphi panelists.	During intermediate Delphi rounds (approximately 3-4 months).
Geographic Distribution of Expert Panel Participants	Distribution of experts by geographic region (e.g., continents, countries) to evaluate the representativeness of the panel.	At the beginning of the Delphi process (baseline).
Expert Panel Composition - gender	Analysis of gender distribution within the expert panel	At the beginning of the Delphi process (baseline).
Expert Panel Composition - country	Analysis of the country of residence distribution within the expert panel	At the beginning of the Delphi process (baseline).
Expert Panel Composition - job	Analysis of the type of job distribution within the expert panel	At the beginning of the Delphi process (baseline).

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University Hospital, Caen
• Collaborators: INSERM UMR U1075 Comète GIP Cyceron, unicaen, Caen Normandie

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Schindler IFSR, Pontes SS, Bertoni MBM, Junior GF, Junior BRN, de Jesus FLA, Neto MG. A Systematic Review of Isokinetic Muscle Strength in a Healthy Population With Special Reference to Age and Gender. Sports Health. 2023 May;15(3):328-332. doi: 10.1177/19417381221146258. Epub 2023 Jan 16.
• Wilk KE, Arrigo CA, Davies GJ. Isokinetic Testing: Why it is More Important Today than Ever. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2024 Apr 1;19(4):374-380. doi: 10.26603/001c.95038. eCollection 2024.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): January 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 9, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 9, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): December 13, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 12, 2024
• Last Verified: December 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: isokinetic; Delphi method; strength assessment
• Other Study ID Numbers: Delph-iso

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No