Adequacy of hand-grip dynamometry for characterizing upper limb strength after stroke

Abstract

This study examined the adequacy of hand-grip dynamometry for characterizing upper limb strength after stroke. It involved the secondary analysis of data from 26 patients (age = 71.1 ± 11.7 yr) hospitalized for acute stroke. Primary data were bilateral measurements of grip strength obtained with a Jamar dynamometer and elbow flexion and shoulder abduction strength obtained with a MicroFET 2 dynamometer. Adequacy was characterized by the relationship between grip, elbow flexion, and shoulder abduction strengths. Correlations between measurements from the same limb were high and significant (p < 0.05) on both the weak (r = 0.753-0.937) and strong (r = 0.735-0.876) sides. Factor analysis distinguished two strength components: weak side (loadings = 0.910-0.982) and strong side (loadings = 0.912-0.965). Cronbach's alphas were 0.840 and.844 for the weak and strong sides, respectively. Although any of the dynamometrically measured actions are adequate for characterizing strength of either side after stroke, simplicity of hand-grip dynamometry upholds its utilization.