Affiliations: [a] Department of Industrial Health, Catholic University of Pusan, Busan, Republic of Korea
| [b]
Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL, USA
Correspondence:
[*]
Address for correspondence: Jaejin Hwang, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Northern Illinois University, 590 Garden Road, EB230, Dekalb, IL 60115, USA. Tel.: +1 815 753 9980; E-mail: jhwang3@niu.edu.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:Grip strength is an objective measure of a person’s hand functionality and upper limb strength. In Asia, there is a lack of normative data for grip strength among the population, especially in South Korea. OBJECTIVE:The objective of this study was to evaluate the grip strength in various body postures and gender in the adult South Korean population. METHODS:A total of 100 male and 64 female subjects participated in this study. Their grip strengths were measured using a standard adjustable Jamar handle dynamometer. RESULTS:The results showed that their grip strength differed statistically by gender, handedness, and posture. Their gender and right-hand length were the most significant predictors of their grip strength. The Asian population, including South Korea, showed a lower grip strength than the European and American populations in previous studies. CONCLUSIONS:The present study showed that the maximal isometric grip strength is affected by gender, handedness, posture, and population. Thus, gender-, population-, and posture-specific grip strength data are essential for clinical and industrial applications.
Keywords: South Korean population, dynamometer, hand strength, anthropometry, normative data
