Analysis of Isokinetic Peak Torque in Hamstrings and Quadriceps and Its Association with Flexibility and Strength in Healthy School-Aged Children

The present study provides valuable insight into the development of muscular strength and flexibility in healthy school aged children, specifically focusing on the hamstring and quadriceps muscle groups. Isokinetic testing revealed a clear dominance of quadriceps strength over the hamstrings across all participants, highlighting a consistent strength imbalance common in this age group. The study demonstrated that age is a significant predictor of muscle strength, with both hamstring and quadriceps strength showing strong positive correlations with increasing age. The peak torque values increased significantly with age, and the regression analysis confirmed that age accounts for a high percentage of the variability in muscle strength approximately 89% for hamstrings and 86% for quadriceps. Flexibility, as measured by the Toe Touch Test, displayed more individual variation and did not correlate as strongly with strength measures, suggesting that factors influencing flexibility may differ from those driving strength development. Furthermore, the internal consistency of isokinetic measurements was remarkably high, confirming the reliability of the BioMat Easy-Torque dynamometer in this population. These findings emphasize the importance of routine isokinetic assessment in pediatric populations to identify muscle imbalances early and to inform interventions aimed at optimizing musculoskeletal development during critical growth periods.