Comparing passive angle–torque curves recorded simultaneously with a load cell versus an isokinetic dynamometer during dorsiflexion stretch tolerance assessments

•We compare passive angle–torque curves from a load cell apparatus and an isokinetic dynamometer.•The load cell identified more changes between joint angles than the isokinetic dynamometer.•Results suggest that a load cell is more sensitive than an isokinetic dynamometer.

The purpose of the present study was to compare the passive angle–torque curves and the passive stiffness (PS, N m °−1) values recorded simultaneously from a load cell versus an isokinetic dynamometer during dorsiflexion stretch tolerance assessments in vivo. Nine healthy men (mean ± SD age = 21.4 ± 1.6 years) completed stretch tolerance assessments on a custom-built apparatus where passive torque was measured simultaneously from an isokinetic dynamometer and a load cell. Passive torque values that corresponded with the last 10° of dorsiflexion, verified by surface electromyographic amplitude, were analyzed for each device (θ1, θ2, θ3, …, θ10). Passive torque values measured with the load cell were greater (p ≤ 0.05) than the dynamometer torque values for θ4 through θ10. There were more statistical differentiations among joint angles for passive torque measured by the load cell, and the load cell measured a greater (p ≤ 0.01) increase in passive torque and PS than the isokinetic dynamometer. These findings suggested that when examining the angle–torque curves from passive dorsiflexion stretch tolerance tests, a load cell placed under the distal end of the foot may be more sensitive than the torque recorded from an isokinetic dynamometer.