OBJECTIVE: To examine the intra-rater, inter-rater, and inter-instrumental reliability of the digitalized pinch muscle strength dynamometer. METHOD: Thirty normal subjects were examined for pinch strength, using both the Preston pinch gauge and the digitalized pinch dynamometer. The participants performed all pinch strength tests in the seated position as recommended by the American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT). Three successive measurements were taken for each hand. The mean of the three trials was used for data analysis. The pinch strength tests performed used a repeated measure design and measurements were taken by each rater. RESULTS: The relationship between the Preston pinch gauge and the digitalized pinch dynamometer in pinch strength was reliable (the ICC were 0.821 and 0.785 in rater 1 and rater 2 respectively). The relationship between the first session and second session in pinch strength using the digitalized pinch dynamometer was reliable (the ICC were 0.872 and 0.886 in rater A and rater B respectively). The relationship between rater A and rater B in pinch strength using the digitalized pinch dynamometer was reliable (the ICC was 0.754). CONCLUSION: The pinch strength measurement using the digitalized pinch dynamometer is reliable within the rater and between raters. Thus, the Preston pinch gauge and the digitalized dynamometer measure grip strength equivalently, and can be used interchangeably.
Hand ; Hand Strength ; Muscle Strength ; Muscle Strength Dynamometer ; Pinch Strength ; Statistics as Topic

PURPOSE: Aquatic exercise program is known to have positive effects for health maintenance and improvement in inpatients with arthritis. Aquatic exercise program could be a way to obtain wellness in middle-aged women. However, there have been few studies to evaluate physical function. The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of aquatic exercise on physical health such as body weight, BMI, muscle strength (grip strength, pinch pressure), and flexibility in healthy middle-aged women. METHOD: The subjects of the study were fifty healthy middle-aged women (40-59 years) who had no experience with exercise. Twenty five subjects were assigned to the experimental group and 25 to the control group. An aquatic exercise program which consisted of approximately one hour of exercise in the water, two days per week, for six weeks was given to the experimental group. Data were gathered from October 2000 to April 2001 using a questionnaire and physical function measure tool (pinch pressure, grip strength, weight, centimeter ruler). Data were analyzed with the SPSS win 10.0 using frequency, t-test, x2 test, paired t-test, and ANCOVA. RESULT: The results of this study are as follows: There were significant differences in body weight, BMI, right, left grip strength and right and left pinch pressure between the two groups. CONCLUSION: From these results, it is concluded that the aquatic exercise program for healthy middle-aged women can be effective in increasing physical health in these women.
Arthritis ; Body Weight* ; Female ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Muscle Strength* ; Pinch Strength ; Pliability* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Water

The purpose of this study was to estimate mean pressure thresholds over several skeletal muscles, grip and pinch strengths in female telephone operators. Pressure thresholds on muscles of neck and shoulder were measured with a pressure algometer, and grip and pinch strength were measured with a Jamar dynamometer and a Jamar pinch gauge in 904 female telephone operators. The pressure threshold was highest in the supraspinatus and lowest in the cervical paraspinals. There was no statistically significant difference between right and left corresponding muscles. The mean grip strength was 22.29 kg in the right hand, 21.97 kg in the left hand. The mean tip pinch strength was 0.56 kg in the right, 0.51 kg in the left. The mean lateral pinch strength was 2.21 kg in the right, 2.12 kg in the left. The mean palmar pinch strength was 1.82 kg in the right, 1.66 kg in the left. There was no significant correlation between grip, pinch strength and age(p>0.05). There were positive correlations between height, weight and grip strength. There were positive correlations between exposure duration to visual display terminal and pinch strength.
Cumulative Trauma Disorders ; Female* ; Hand ; Hand Strength* ; Humans ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Muscles ; Neck ; Pinch Strength* ; Shoulder ; Telephone*

BACKGROUND: Several studies have reported that muscle strength and bone mineral density have a significant positive correlation and most previous literature on muscle strength and bone mineral density examined their association. To evaluate the association between grip strength and radius bone mineral density, more precise PQCT was used rather than SPA or DEXA. METHODS: The study was performed from June to August 1999 in Pundang community with 154 postmenopausal women who undertaken osteoporosis screening program who participated in this study. Bone mineral density was measured at the radius using PQCT (peripheral quantitive computed tomograpy). Grip and pinch strength were measured in both the dominant and nondominant hands using a dyanometer. Other data were obtained from the questionnaire. RESULTS: Grip and pinch strength of the dominant hands were significantly higher than the nondominant hands. There was no significant difference in bone mineral density by exercise and fracture history. Age-adjusted partial correlation analysis indicated a significant positive correlation of radius BMD with dominant hands grip strength. Significant positive correlations also were found between radius BMD and pinch strength. CONCLUSION: Subjects with stronger grip strength had a low BMD. There was a significant positive correlationship between bone mineral density and dominant hand grip strength. especially with the more positive association of cortical BMD with forearm circumference. The data suggest that grip strength is a weak predictor of radius bone mineral density and provide a feasible way of predicting it.
Bone Density* ; Female ; Forearm ; Hand ; Hand Strength* ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Muscle Strength ; Osteoporosis ; Pinch Strength ; Radius* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: To identify interhemispheric differences of facilitation of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) from the affected and unaffected hemispheres after stroke and to correlate the differences with their motor functions. METHOD: MEPs induced by cortical stimulation were obtained at both thenar muscles in 28 post-stroke patients. Motor cortex was stimulated with 110% and 130% intensity of threshold during rest, minimal and moderate voluntary muscle contraction. We analyzed the MEP amplitude or area in 130% threshold intensity at rest (Rmax) and on moderate contraction (Fmax). The ratio of Fmax in both hemispheres (interhemispheric facilitation ratio, FR) and the ratio of Fmax to Rmax (facilitation index, FI) were also analyzed. Pinch strength, Brunnstrom stage, and Jebsen hand function test were included evaluating their motor functions. RESULTS: MEPs could not be evoked in cases whose Brunnstrom stage of hand was under 3. In response group, amplitude and area of Fmax of unaffected side were significantly larger than those of affected side (p<0.05). FR showed good correlation with clinical findings evaluating motor functions (p<0.05). In cases of FR > 0.5, FI of unaffected side was significantly greater than that of affected side (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: We suggest to use FR and FI as useful parameters for evaluation of hand function in post-stroke patients.
Evoked Potentials, Motor* ; Hand ; Humans ; Motor Cortex ; Muscle, Skeletal* ; Muscles ; Pinch Strength ; Stroke

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of height and tilt adjustable keyboard tray on work-related musculoskeletal pain in visual display terminal (VDT) workers. METHOD: Twenty-one VDT workers, who had myofascial pain in upper trapezius (UTZ) and extensor carpi radialis longus (ECRL) or brevis (ECRB) during VDT work, were randomly assigned to a control (n=10) that used conventional keyboard or experimental group (n=11) that used height and tilt adjustable keyboard tray. A pretest assessed the visual analog scale (VAS), pain threshold of UTZ and ECRL or ECRB, and grip and tip pinch strength as well as upper extremity function index (UEFI). Post-test was conducted 1 month later. Additionally, differences in working posture between the two groups were evaluated. RESULTS: For the UTZ, the decrease of VAS (p<0.05) and increase of pain threshold (p<0.01) in experimental group were significantly greater than control group after 1 month. Increase of right grip strength (p<0.01) and UEFI (p<0.05) in the experimental group were significantly larger than control group. Experimental group showed lower keyboard height (p<0.01) and smaller elbow angle (p<0.01) as well as more anterior tilted keyboard angle (p<0.01) than the control group. CONCLUSION: Application of height and tilt adjustable keyboard tray seems to affect the working posture, thus reduce the work-related musculoskeletal pain of UTZ as well as enhance the strength of right grip strength and upper extremity function in VDT workers. Additionally, anterior keyboard tilting may help to reduce wrist extension in low keyboard height which contributes to decreasing UTZ muscle tension.
Computer Terminals ; Elbow ; Hand Strength ; Muscle Tonus ; Musculoskeletal Pain* ; Pain Threshold ; Pinch Strength ; Posture ; Superficial Back Muscles ; Upper Extremity ; Visual Analog Scale ; Wrist

OBJECTIVE: To determine if there is muscle mass reduction in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) compared to the general population and to examine the relationship between skeletal muscle mass, quality of life (QOL), strength, and mobility in patients with AS. METHODS: A total of 30 AS patients were enrolled in this study. Skeletal muscle mass was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis, and it was expressed as the skeletal muscle mass index (SMI). QOL was assessed using the EuroQOL (EQ-5D). To measure mobility, the modified Schöber test and chest expansion test were used. To measure grip strength as a measure of muscle strength, we used the hydraulic hand dynamometer. Additionally, we divided the patients into two groups according to the degree of X-ray finding and compared the differences between the two groups. RESULTS: There was no significant reduction in skeletal muscle mass in patients with AS compared to the general population. Also, there was no significant correlation between SMI and QOL. On the other hand, there was a significant positive correlation between SMI and mobility, and grip strength. A significant positive correlation was found between mobility and QOL. Additionally, there was a statistically significant difference in mobility between the two groups according to the degree of X-ray finding. CONCLUSION: Maintaining muscle mass in AS patients may not be helpful for improving QOL, but it may contribute to achieving adequate mobility and strength.
Electric Impedance ; Hand ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Muscle Strength ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Quality of Life* ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing* ; Thorax

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe the subjective health status of joints, flexibility of joints, muscle strength and state of joint exercise in elderly people living in the community. METHOD: The participants were 74 elderly people in a health program of the Gerontological Health Research Center at G University. The data were collected from March to July, 2003. The instrument for the study included items on general characteristics (5 items), subjective health status of joints (10 items), flexibility of joints and strength of muscle (8 items), and state of joint exercise (7 items). RESULTS: The score for subjective health status of joints was 3.70 (range 1-5). Knee and waist joints were in the worst state. Neck extension and flexion were 17.38+/-1.80 and .60+/-1.08(cm) respectively. Trunk extension and flexion were 68.24+/-4.47 and 58.00+/-4.91(cm) respectively. Flexibility of the Rt./Lt. shoulder joints was 14.63+/-12.51/18.82+/-13.80(cm). Muscle strength of the Rt./Lt. leg was 30.47+/-19.68/29.67+/-21.22 (sec.). Shoulder joints were more flexible for men and people in their sixties compared to women and people in their seventies. Hand grip was stronger for men compared to women. The score for state of joint exercise was 2.83(range 1-4). The state of handgrip correlated with the state of joint exercise [r=.423 (Rt.)/r=.273(Lt.)]. CONCLUSION: To prevent falls and disorders in neuromuscular function, it is important to develop systemic joint exercise programs for elderly people.
Aged* ; Female ; Hand ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Joints* ; Knee ; Leg ; Male ; Muscle Strength ; Neck ; Pliability ; Shoulder Joint

OBJECTIVES: Sarcopenia, decreased muscle volume and muscle weakness in the elderly is a serious risk of various adverse outcomes. Current diagnostic procedure for sarcopenia includes gait speed, grip strength, and percentage of skeletal muscle volume. However, lower leg muscle strength decreases much faster than grasp power, and we have evaluated the usefulness of its measurement using a recently developed instrument (Locomoscan). METHODS: Forty-three institutionalized elderly subjects were evaluated for their anthropometrical parameters, body composition, grasp and lower leg muscle strength, and gait speed. They were categorized into 2 groups; gait speed equal to or higher than 0.8 m/s and that below 0.8 m/s. RESULTS: Leg muscle strength per body weight was significantly greater in those with their gait speed equal to or higher than 0.8 m/s, whereas there was no significant difference in other parameters. Receiver operator characteristics analysis has shown that leg muscle alone significantly predicted the greater gait speed. CONCLUSIONS: Lower leg muscle strength can be useful for predicting gait speed.
Aged* ; Body Composition ; Body Weight ; Gait* ; Hand Strength* ; Humans ; Leg* ; Muscle Strength* ; Muscle Weakness ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Sarcopenia

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the link between cigarette smoking and muscle strength in Japanese men. METHODS: We used data on 4249 Japanese men, aged 43.3+/-13.9 years, in this cross-sectional investigation study. Grip strength and leg strength were measured as indicators of overall muscle strength. Meanwhile, subjects' cigarette smoking habits were recorded by trained medical staff. The effect of cigarette smoking on muscle strength was evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 1618 men (38.1%) were smokers and 1481 men (34.9%) exercised regularly. Significant differences in muscle strength were noted between men with and without a Brinkman index of 400 or greater, after adjusting for age. After adjusting for age, height, body weight and exercise habits, associations between the Brinkman index and leg strength and the ratio of leg strength to body weight were attenuated. CONCLUSIONS: Cigarette smoking might be negatively associated with muscle strength, especially grip strength in Japanese men.
Adult ; Body Weight ; Exercise ; Hand Strength/physiology ; Humans ; Japan ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Strength/*physiology ; *Smoking