The association between hand dimensions and handgrip strength: a preliminary study

Year 2017, Volume: 8 Issue: 2, 35 - 44, 31.12.2017

Hale Öktem , Hülya Olmuş Ahmet Gümüş Ayça İlgın Altaner Elif Oya İlhan İpek Sertbudak Nazlıcan Karakuş

Abstract

Grip strength of the hand is defined as the voluntary flexion of all
fingers in maximum strength under normal bio-kinetic circumstances. Handgrip strength is an important parameter in terms of
the efficient use of the hand in addition to being a reliable
marker of the physical strength of the individual. The aim of this
study was to evaluate the association between the
anthropometric measurements of the hand and handgrip strength.
A total of 150 students from Baskent University aged 18 to 25
years participated in this study. The participants’ height, weight,
length of upper extremity, arm, forearm and hand, arm
circumference, wrist circumference, elbow and wrist width and
hand width were measured in this study. In addition, the distance
from the distal wrist line to the distal end of each finger and the
distances from each fingertip to the peak point of the thumb
were measured with the fingers in abduction. The measurements
for the fingers were obtained from scanned images of the hands.
Handgrip strength, however, was measured using a hand
dynamometer. The handgrip strength of the males was found to
be greater compared to the females. A statistically significant
association between handgrip strength and all upper extremity
parameters was found. The most significant of all the parameters
was the distance between the wrist and thumb of the right and
left hand (WT). This study is a preliminary one and may be seen
in terms of treatment approaches to the hand, clinical follow-up,
and hand rehabilitation.

Keywords

Anatomy, anthropometry, forensic science

References

• Anakwe RE, Huntley JS, Mceachan JE. (2007) Grip strength and forearm circumference in a healthy population. J Hand Surg Eur 32:203-209.