INTRODUCTION: Patients with peripheral obstructive arterial disease (PAD) present muscle atrophy and reduced strength in the legs which have been associated with impairment in physical function. Consequently, the assessment of leg strength can be useful for identifying muscle weakness and analyzing the efficacy of intervention programs for patients with PAD. OBJECTIVE: To assess the reliability of the 1-RM test in patients with PAD. Methods: The sample was composed of twenty-six patients with PAD and symptoms of mild intermittent claudication. Patients performed the 1-RM tests in the knee extension exercise in the leg with lower ankle brachial index (ABI) and in the leg with higher ABI. This protocol was repeated in four sessions to assess the reliability of the maximum strength measurements. RESULTS: Maximal strength increased significantly from session 1 to session 2 in both legs (4.1 ± 14.3% in the leg with lower ABI and 5.9 ± 13.1% in the leg with higher ABI). The analysis of agreement revealed that higher bias and higher limits of agreement were observed in both legs when sessions 1 and 2 were compared. CONCLUSION: Reliable assessment of strength using 1-RM test in knee extension exercise in patients with PAD and symptoms of intermittent claudication is obtained when 2 test sessions are performed.
muscle strength; intermittent claudication; reproducibility of results
