Hand Grip Strength in Chilean Adults

Maria Jesus Mena-Iturriaga311 enrolled

Overview

Context Hand grip strength (HGS) is an important parameter to assess hand function during the rehabilitation of hand injuries. HGS serves as a clinical predictor of complications after surgery. Purpose Establish HGS reference values in healthy adult Chilean population. Study design analytical cross-sectional. Method 311 healthy women and men, ages 18 to 65 years participated in the study. HGS was measured with a dynamometer, according to the American Society of Hand Therapists protocol. Additionally, anthropometric and labour characteristics were registered. Kruskal-Wallis test, Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test and multiple linear regression were used for data analysis. Significance was set at .05. Results Median HGS in women was 26 kg and 43 kg for men. Men demonstrated 3% more HGS on the dominant versus non-dominant hand. Women's median HGS was no different between dominant versus non-dominant hand. In men and women, manual labour activity was associated with a higher HGS. The relationships between subject anthropometric measurements and HGS were different in women versus men. Conclusions This study determined HGS in Chilean healthy adults. Results can be used as a reference standard for clinical measures related to illness, injury and rehabilitation.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

311

Conditions

Hand Grasp

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 65 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Men and women aged between 18 and 65 years; 2. capable of adopting a seated assessment posture - Exclusion Criteria: 1. current hand or upper limb pain; 2. history of surgery, fracture, or any condition in the upper limb that could alter hand grip strength

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Hand Grip Strength normative values

The subject was seated on a chair with a vertical backrest, both feet fully supported on the ground, shoulders in neutral position, arms next to the trunk, test-side elbow at 90 degrees flexion, forearm in neutral position, and wrist at 0-30 degrees dorsiflexion and 0-15 degrees ulnar deviation. The second position of the dynamometer was used for the measurement, as recommended by the ASHT. For HGS measurement, the dynamometer was positioned vertically and aligned with the forearm to maintain the forearm and wrist position as previously described

Time frame: 3 months

Secondary Outcomes

Accompanying determinant factors of hand grip strength

correlate hadn grip strength with weight, height and anthropometric characteristics measurements

Time frame: 10 minutes