Affiliations: [a] Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Inonu
University, Turgut Ozal Medical Center, Malatya, Turkey | [b] Department of Biostatistics, Inonu University, Turgut
Ozal Medical Center, Malatya, Turkey
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Kadir Ertem, MD, Department of
Orthopaedic and Traumatology, Inonu University, Turgut Ozal Medical Center,
44069 Malatya, Turkey. Tel.: +9 0422 3410660/5110; Fax: +9 0422 3410728;
E-mail: kertem@inonu.edu.tr
Abstract: Measurement of grip and pinch strength is an important component in
hand evaluation. It assesses the patient's initial limitations and provides a
quick reassessment of patient's progress throughout the treatment. This
investigation was conducted to examine the effects of hand dominance, body mass
index (BMI) and age on grip strength (GS) and pinch strength (PS) tasks.
Subjects were 365 apparently healthy young male adults (19–33 years). No
correlation was found between the BMI hand strength measures. Grip and pinch
strength were measured instrumentally. The rule "dominant hand (DH) is
approximately 10% stronger than the nondominant hand (NDH)" was found to be
valid for left handed persons only (11.2%), otherwise these measures should be
considered equivalent in both hands in clinical practice.
