Associations Between Dermatoglific Characteristics and Manual Hold Strength in Men

Abstract

Dermatoglyphics is a method that makes it possible to detect potential physical capacities such as muscle strength, which is essential for sports performance and is also related to health outcomes. The aim of this study was to verify associations between dermatoglyphic marks and handgrip strength in men. The study included 367 men with a mean age of 23.79 ± 4.97. The handgrip strength was collected by a manual dynamometer and the dermatoglyphic variables using the Dermatoglyphic Reader® validated by Nodari Júnior et al., according to the protocol proposed by Cummins and Midlo. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBM SPSS) version 20.0, assigning a significance level of p <0.05. To verify the normality of the data, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used. To verify differences between means, the Kruskal-Wallis test was used and for associations, the Chi-square test with adjusted residuals analysis. Superiority was observed in the means in MESQL1 and MDSQL1 among individuals with high handgrip strength in relation to those with low handgrip strength. Among the categorical variables, there was an association between the Ulnar Loop (UL) in the low strength group, the Arch (A) in the normal strength group and the Radial Loop (RL) in the high strength group, all in the MET2. It is concluded that dermatoglyphics can be used to identify individuals with low and high handgrip strength, enabling the detection and guidance of talents in sports, as well as individuals at risk of negative health outcomes.