Assessment of Hand Grip Strength Using Modified Sphygmomanometer in Physiotherapy Students

The hand is a complex organ and has several functions. As a grip organ it is able to exert strength and as a tactile organ it is able to communicate with the environment. Hand grip strength is currently used a predictor of overall muscle strength. Physiotherapists are required to use a lot of manual therapy techniques like Maitland, Mulligan etc. mobilizations, in which use of hand grip strength is important. Thus it is likely that hand grip strength may be varied in physiotherapists as compared to normal individuals. Manual muscle testing (MMT) is subjective, descriptive and less sensitive. Thus the costly Jamar dynamometer is usually used to test hand grip strength. But studies have found that modified sphygmomanometer is equally reliable and valid thus the present study is undertaken to asses hand grip strength in P.T students using modified sphygmomanometer.

60 physiotherapy students were selected as per the selection criteria. They were explained about the study and written consent was taken. Hand grip strength was measured in the position best suitable according to studies for measuring the hand grip strength on both the right and left side using modified sphygmomanometer. Best of three readings were taken on each side with a rest pause of 10 second in between the readings. Data was collected and analyzed.

Study shows that there is no statistical difference between the grip strength of physiotherapy students and normal values obtained using modified sphygmomanometer of both the right hand (P value= 0.1195) and left hand (P value=0.9301). Also there is no significant statistical difference between the grip strength of right and left hand in physiotherapy students. (P value=0.1179)

The study concludes that there is no significant statistical difference of hand grip strength in physiotherapy students and standard values obtained using modified sphygmomanometer.