Variability of Handgrip Measurements

Abstract

Two calibrated grip dynamometers were used to measure left and right handgrips of seven healthy volunteers. Ten measurements were made with each instrument on each hand. The results showed that the cheaper instrument read high by up to 5 kgf and that the more expensive instrument was accurate to within 1 kgf throughout its range. The results expressed as fractions of the mean for a set showed a broadly normal distribution with the reproducibilities of right and left hand results for the two instruments for a given individual being typical k 2 kgf. A conclusion of the study is that for statistical reasons caution should be exercised in interpreting the effects of a treatment or the progress of a disease from a very limited number of handgrip measurements. It is suggested that the mean of four measurements is a realistic compromise between practicability and accuracy.

Growth of specific muscle strength between 6 and 18 years in contrasting socioeconomic conditions

“…Averages obtained were 2-4 kg greater than those for the 10and 14-year-old males and 10-year-old females originally tested, but showed the same bilateral difference, sexual dimorphism, and age difference. Differences in measured grip strength between types of dynamometers are recognized (e.g., Gillespie et al, 1983;Chau et al, 1997Chau et al, , 1998. They must occur because devices of different mechanical construction and using different materials can hardly produce identical results.…”