Test-Retest Reliability of Handgrip Strength Measurement in Children and Preadolescents
Title: Test-Retest Reliability of Handgrip Strength Measurement in Children and Preadolescents
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to research the impact of sex, age, and/or hand dominance on test-retest of hand grip strength (HGS) measurements- and to establish HGS reliability in a typical developing pediatric population.
Study population: This study included 338 typically developing children between the ages of 7 to 13 years old.
Methods: The study population was tested using a digital handgrip strength dynamometer (Jamar Plus+ Dynamometer) by the same rater on two different testing trials. Testing sessions were separated by a one-day interval. HGS testing was administered according to the American Society of Hand Therapists’ recommendation.
Outcome measures: With the assistance of the American Society of Hand Therapists, researches used a protocol similar to the gold standard use of the Jamar Dynamometer in adults. This started with a warm-up followed by 2-3 testing trials of the dominant hand. No other outcome measures were used.
Intervention: No interventions were provided in this study; this study was aimed to prove test-retest reliability.
Results: This study found that there was an age influence on test-retest HGS as children were found to have lower intraclass correlation coefficients (0.95 vs. 0.98), when compared to preadolescents. This study determined that a protocol using the Jamar hand dynamometer has reliability in typically developing individuals aged 7-13 years old.
Strengths/Limitations: Strengths included the feasibility and safety of using the HGS equipment with a pediatric population. It also included the cost of the study as well as access to willing participants. Weaknesses included potential differences in measurements due to the child’s mood, motivation, and attention between tests. This study also did not include the measurement of the instrument and how it may impact a child’s ability to use it effectively. Additionally, age groups were not adjusted for girls who might have entered the pre-pubertal phase earlier than counterparts in their group- and did not measure Tanner stages.
Conclusion: This study revealed that only age had an impact on test and retest reliability of HGS measures. This study also proved excellent relative reliability with low values of measures of absolute reliability. Proving this test-retest reliability in conjunction with its potential to prove overall muscle strength- can be a new way to assess a child’s overall strength in typically developing children.
Reference: Gąsior JS, Pawłowski M, Jeleń PJ, Rameckers EA, Williams CA, Makuch R, Werner B. Test-Retest Reliability of Handgrip Strength Measurement in Children and Preadolescents. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Oct 31;17(21):8026. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17218026. PMID: 33142693; PMCID: PMC7663254.
Ashley Williams
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