Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 1998

i n c r e a s e d, w h i l e d o r s i f l e x i o n r e s u l ts i n a d e c r e a s e d a n g l e . P l a n t a r - f l e x o r s a n d d o r s i f l e x o r s are r e s p e c t i v e l y a g o n i st a n d a n t a g o n i st mu s c l e couples w h o se actions are o p p o s e d t o o n e other. I n o t h er w o r d s , t he s h o r t e n i ng o f o ne r e q u i r e s t h e l e n g t h e n i n g o f t h e o t h e r . T h e i s o k i n e t i c v a r i a b l e s me a s u r e d i n the s t u d y i n c l u d ed p e ak t o r q u e, t o r q ue a c c e l e r a t i on energy, t o t al w o r k , a n d average p o w e r. A m o n g t h e s u b j e c ts t h e c y c l i s ts h a d s l i g h t l y h i g h e r s t r e n g th b u t i n s i g n i f i c a n t m e a n p l a n t ar f l e x i on t h a n t h e o t h e r subjects. T h e s i t u a t i o n w a s reversed f o r d o r s i f l e x i o n. T h e g y m n a s t s h a d s t r o n g e r dorsilexion w h e n c o m p a r ed w i t h t h e c y c l i s t s. T h i s s h o w s that i n sports i n v o l v i n g j u m p i n g a n d r u n n i n g , i n c r e a s e d a t t e n t i o n s h o u l d b e g i v e n t o s t r e n g t h e n i ng t h e a n t a g o n i s t m u s c l e g r o u p s i n o r d e r to a c h i e ve greater a g o n i s t- t o - a n t a g o n i s t m u s c l e b a l a n c e , t h u s p r e v e n t i n g i n j u r y . T h e n o n - a t h l e t ic subjects h a d substantially l o w e r e n d u r a n ce c a p a b i l i t y i n b o t h f l e x o r s i n d i c a t i ng t h a t i d e n t i f i a b le specialization i n particula r muscles can result f r o m t r a i n i ng or p a r t i c i p a t i ng i n s p e c i a l i z ed sports. F u t u r e D e v e l o p m e n ts T h e s t u d i es a n d t h e ir d a ta h a v e b e e n p u b l i s h e d i n t h e British Journal of Sports Medicine a n d as a t e x t b o ok e n t i t l e d Principles and Practice of Isokinetics in Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, w h i c h serves as a n i m p o r t a n t reference f or sports r e h a b i l i t a t i o n p e r s o n n el a r o u n d th e w o r l d . Prof. C h a n believes t h a t c r u c i al to t he f u t u r e d e v e l o p m e n t of isokineti c t e c h n o l o g y is t h e c o n f i r m a t i o n of i ts u s e f u l n e s s a n d e f f e c t i v e n e s s i n t h e o v e r a l l p a t i e n t care s y s t em, f o r e x a m p l e p r o v i n g w h e t h e r cost savings can be achieved w i t h its applications. F u r t h e r r e s e a r ch s h o u l d i n p a r t i c u l ar be c a r r i e d o u t i n areas i n c l u d i n g t he v a l i d i t y a n d s p e c i f i c i t y o f d i f f e r e n t m u s c l e a c t i o ns s u c h as eccentric actions a n d c o n t r a c t i o n , i n r e l a t i on to specific t r a i n i n g a n d r e h a b i l i t a t i o n p r o g r a mm e s ; the me t a b o l i c characteristics o f a n d a d a p t a t i o n s to i s o k i n e t i c t r a i n i n g; the s i m p l i f i c a t i o n a n d v a l i d a t i o n o f s p o r t s - specific t r a i n i n g p r o g r amme s; a n d the d e s i g n of u s e r - f r i e n d l y machines to b r i n g isokinetics closer t o the sports f i e l d, a n d hence, to cater f o r a w i d e r m a r k e t. • Prof. Chan Kai-ming obtained his MB BS degrees from the University of Hong Kong in 1975 and his M.Ch. (Orth) degree from the University of Liverpool in 1982. He is also a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the American College of Surgeons. He is Chief of Service in Orthopaedics am Traumatology at the Prince of Wales Hospital, and director of the Centre for Sports Medicine and Health Promotion, a collaborative centre between CUHK and WHO. He is also current president of the Hong Kong College of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Prof. Chan has been president or vice- president of various professional organizations in the field of sports medicine, including the Asia-Pacific Orthopaedics Society for Sports Medicine, the Asian Federation of Sports Medicine, and the International Federation of Sports Medicine. Isokinetic Technology—Applications in Sports Medicine and Sports Science 37