Evaluation of hand anthropometric measurements and grip strength in basketball, volleyball and handball players

Abstract

The human hand is unique in being free of habitual locomotor duty and devoted entirely to functions of manipulation. Its effectiveness in these activities is due to particular configuration of the bones and muscles which permits opposition of the pulp surface of the thumb to the corresponding surfaces of the other four finger tips in a firm grasp, together with a highly elaborated nervous control and sensitivity of the fingers.1 Hand is a very complex structure capable of not only a multitude of motor tasks but also of relaying sensory information about the temperature, the shape and texture of objects to the brain. 2The hand does not function in isolation, and is dependent on the integrity of the shoulder and elbow complexes to allow the appropriate positioning of the hand in space to complete the desired task. AbstractObjectives: This cross-sectional study was performed to compare hand anthropometric measurements and grip strength among different sports groups. Methods:The study group was composed of 145 basketball players, 133 volleyball players and 96 handball players aged between 9-18 years. A digital compass (Shan, 150 mm) with a resolution of 0.01 mm/0.0005 inch was used for hand anthropometric measurements and a digital hand dynamometer (Takei) was used for grip strength measurement. During measurements values for both hands were obtained. Eight parameters were evaluated for each hand. For statistical analyses One Way ANOVA for parametric conditions and Kruskal-Wallis Variance Analyses for subgroups which have nonparametric conditions were performed. The differences within the groups were evaluated with post hoc Bonferroni adjustment.Results: There were statistically significant differences for right and left hand width, right finger index, right hand length/height, left hand length/height values between basketball, handball and volleyball players. The differences between basketball and handball players were the reason for the aforementioned differences. There were statistically significant differences in right and left width, right and left third finger length, right and left hand grip strength values in females. These significances were caused by handball players. Conclusion:These findings suggest that different sports could constitute different effects on hand anthropometric measurements and grip strength and sex should be considered.

Laterality of handgrip strength: age‐ and physical training–related changes in Lithuanian schoolchildren and conscripts

“…The present study is in line with others that have found considerable variation in differences in grip strength of the right and left hands among different populations, with regard to age, sex, and physical training . In our study, the maximal individual difference between grip strength of both hands varied between 0% to more than 100%.…”

“…The influence of physical training on the asymmetry of handgrip strength The present study is in line with others that have found considerable variation in differences in grip strength of the right and left hands among different populations, with regard to age, sex, and physical training. 2,18,23,[45][46][47][48] In our study, the maximal individual difference between grip strength of both hands varied between 0% to more than 100%. Our results on schoolchildren supported the so-called 10% rule for the difference between dominant and nondominant hand grip strength 49,50 at several age and gender groups.…”

Performance Factors in Women's Team Handball

“…For ball games in which it is essential to use one's hands, hand morphology and functional properties may play a key role for performance (2). It is believed that a stable ball grip allows the athlete to accelerate the ball to a maximum during the entire throwing movement (42).…”

“…Players with larger hand can grab the ball more tightly and this fact probably gives the player the confidence to accelerate the ball as much as possible throughout the whole movement pathway (2,42,47). Maybe anthropometric characteristics ought to be taken into account in the talent identification when choosing a playing position.…”

Correlations of handgrip strength with selected hand-anthropometric variables in university softball players

“…Anthropometric measurements: The following data were recorded: body height (cm), body mass (kg), BMI, right hand width (cm), lengths (cm) of the right hand and of the 2 nd , 3 rd and 4 th digits, and right handgrip strength (kg) by using standard techniques [1,19]. All measurements were done in triplicates, the median values being taken for analysis.…”