Affiliations: [a] Quinnipiac College, Hamden, CT, USA | [b] School of Allied Health, University of Connecticut,
Storrs, CT, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Richard W. Bohannon, School of Allied
Health, University of Connecticut, U-101, 358 Mansfield Road, Storrs, CT 06269,
USA. Fax: +1 860 486-1588; E-mail: bohannon@neca.com
Abstract: This investigation was conducted to examine the influence of head
and neck (H--N) position in the transverse plane on the static muscle strength
of elbow flexion and extension and hand grip. Subjects were 36 apparently
healthy young females (23-36 years). Strength was measured instrumentally. The
strength of each action was measured twice on both sides on each of two days
about one week apart. Separate analysis of variance procedures applied to each
action of each side (eg left hand grip) demonstrated no significant effect of
H--N position, trial, or day. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) showed
intertrial and interday reliability to be high (ICCs = 0.96 - 0.99. This study
provides no evidence that H-N position needs to be considered when testing the
upper extremity strength of neurologically intact women. The study confirms the
reliability of both hand-held and hand grip dynamometry.
