Greater Handgrip Strength Research Articles

Handgrip Linked to Cognition In Mood Disorders, Schizophrenia

Handgrip Linked to Cognition In Mood Disorders, Schizophrenia

Handgrip strength in medical students: Correlation with body mass index and hand dimensions

Background: Handgrip is a predictor of physical fitness, hand functions, and nutritional status. It is affected by many factors including age, sex, body mass index, and hand dimensions.Aims and Objectives: To assess the handgrip strength among medical students and to examine its correlation with body mass index and hand dimensions.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 256 students of both sexes selected from College of Medicine, Basrah University, Iraq using non-probability purposive sampling method. Their anthropometric parameters including height, weight, and hand dimensions were assessed using routine techniques. The handgrip was measured by using a handheld dynamometer. Hand preference was determined by asking which hand was used to write.Results: The mean age of the participants was 21.1 ± 1.9 years. The mean of handgrip strength was 34.1 ± 11.9 Kg. Males had significantly (P <0.001) greater handgrip strength than females. Statistically significant correlation was detected between body mass index, hand dimensions and handgrip strength. The right-handed students scored significantly higher grip strength with their preferred hand. While among left-handed students, no significant difference in handgrip strength was noticed between left and right hands. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that gender, hand span, height, and body mass index were independent determinants of handgrip strength. They accounted for 70.6% of the variation in handgrip strength.Conclusion: A significant effect of body mass index and hand span on handgrip strength among medical students was observed.Asian Journal of Medical Sciences Vol.9(1) 2018 21-26

Association between hand-grip strength and erectile dysfunction in older men

Objectives: To evaluate the association between handgrip strength and erectile dysfunction (ED) in community-dwelling older men.Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1771 participants of the Dong-gu Study. Handgrip strength was measured with a handheld dynamometer. ED was assessed with the Korean version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). ED was categorized as none to mild (IIEF-EF scores of 13–30) and moderate to severe (IIEF-EF scores of 0–12). Multivariable logistic regression was conducted with adjustment for potential confounders.Results: The proportion of men with moderate to severe ED was 48.8%. The age-adjusted ED score increased with increasing quartile of handgrip strength (11.0, 12.4, 13.4, and 14.0 in the lowest, second, third, and highest quartiles, respectively). After adjustment for potential confounders, greater handgrip strength was associated with a lower risk of ED (odds ratio (OR): 0.82 per 5 kg; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.74–0.90). In addition, a high level of moderate to vigorous physical activity was associated with a lower risk of ED (OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.61–0.93).Conclusion: In this study, aging men with greater handgrip strength had a lower risk of ED. This result suggests that reduced physical functioning may contribute to ED.

Digit ratio (2D:4D) and handgrip strength in a Chinese population of Han ethnicity

BackgroundIn humans, the relative lengths of the index finger to the ring finger (2D:4D) is a sexually dimorphic trait which correlated with prenatal sex steroids and has been increasingly used as a promising tool to evaluate the impact of prenatal hormone exposure in some traits, such as physical performance. Handgrip strength (HGS) is one potent index of physical ability and its relationship with 2D:4D ratio has been discussed in several ethnic groups. AimsTo investigate whether there is a correlation between 2D:4D ratio and HGS in Chinese college students of Ningxia Han ethnicity. Methods608 students (211 males and 397 females) of Han ethnicity were recruited from Ningxia medical university. Photocopies and HGS of both hands were collected at Yinchuan city, in the Ningxia province of China. ResultsSexual dimorphism of 2D:4D and HGS were found, males had significantly lower 2D:4D and greater HGS than females. 2D:4D in both hands were significantly negative correlated with HGS in females and not in males. Conclusions2D:4D ratio is negative correlated with HGS in a Chinese population of Ningxia Han ethnicity and this association should be considered on the anthropological research within an evolutionary concept in the future.

Relationships Among Cognitive Function and Handgrip Strength And Endurance In Older Men And Women

PURPOSE: To examine the relationships among cognitive function and handgrip strength and endurance in older adults. METHODS: Seventy-one healthy older adults (22 men, 49 women) ages 65-85 years (mean±SD height=168±8 cm, mass=76±14 kg) participated. After familiarization, participants were tested for cognitive function: serial sevens (S7), trail making (TM), and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT). The S7 test was timed to completion (S7T) and number of errors (S7E) while counting backwards from 100 by sevens. The TM test timed participants drawing lines sequentially connecting encircled numbers and letters using two patterns: A (TMA) and B (TMB). The RAVLT scored five 15-item auditory word recalls (RSUM), an interference word recall (RB), a 6th word recall (R6), and a 15-item visual word recognition trial (RR). After maximal handgrip strength measurements (HGMAX, Jamar ®, Warrenville, IL), intermittent handgrip contractions at 50% of HGMAX were performed until failure, and the number of contractions was recorded as handgrip endurance (HGCON). Independent samples t-tests (or Mann-Whitney U) for gender differences and Pearson r (or Spearman’s ρ) for correlations analyzed the normally (or non-normally) distributed variables. RESULTS: Men were taller and heavier (p≤0.05), but there was no gender difference in age (p>0.05). Women scored better (p≤0.05) than men for RSUM, R6, and RR, while men had greater handgrip strength (p<0.01). For women, HGCON was related to RSUM (ρ=0.30, p=0.04) and R6 (ρ=0.36, p=0.01). For men, HGMAX was correlated with R6 (ρ=0.49, p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Handgrip endurance (HGCON) was positively related to word recall scores for women, but not men. Conversely, handgrip strength (HGMAX) was positively related to one word recall score (R6) for men, but not for women. These findings suggested that any relationships among cognitive function and handgrip strength and/or endurance may be gender-specific in healthy adults.

Associations of vitamin D status, bone health and anthropometry, with gross motor development and performance of school-aged Indian children who were born at term with low birth weight

ObjectivesThere is little information regarding motor development of children born at term with low birth weight (LBW), a group that constitutes a large proportion of children in South Asia. We...

Association between handgrip strength and cognitive impairment in elderly Koreans: a population-based cross-sectional study

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between handgrip strength and mild cognitive impairment in elderly adults. [Subjects] Study participants included 2,982 adults (1,366 males and 1,616 females), aged 65 years or older. [Methods] This population-based cross-sectional study used the baseline database from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing. [Results] The odds ratio for mild cognitive impairment showed a significant linear decrease in relation to the quartile of handgrip strength, independent of potential covariates, in both men and women. Moreover, after excluding incident cases of mild cognitive impairment, the results showed that greater handgrip strength was associated with higher cognitive function scores in the elderly. [Conclusion] The findings presented here suggest that handgrip strength is associated with a risk of mild cognitive impairment in the Korean elderly. Moreover, greater handgrip strength is associated with higher cognitive function in cognitively normal elderly individuals.

Association between habitual school travel and muscular fitness in youth

ObjectiveTo determine whether active school travel is associated with muscular fitness, which is an emerging marker of youth health. MethodsHandgrip strength, vertical jump and vertical jump peak power were measured in n=6829 English schoolchildren (53% males, age 12.9±1.2years) between 2007 and 2011. Participants were grouped according to self-reported habitual school travel modality. ResultsCyclists had greater handgrip strength than passive travelers. Vertical jump height was greater in walkers and cyclists compared with passive travelers. Jump peak power was also higher in walkers than in the passive travel group. Compared with passive travelers, cyclists had a higher (age, sex and BMI-adjusted) likelihood of good handgrip strength (OR 1.42, 95%CI;1.14–1.76) and walkers were more likely to have good measures for vertical jump peak power (OR 1.14, 95%CI;1.00–1.29). Cyclists' likelihood of having good handgrip strength remained significantly higher when adjusted for physical activity (OR 1.29, 95%CI;1.08–1.46). ConclusionMuscular fitness differs according to school travel habits. Cycling is independently associated with better handgrip strength perhaps due to the physical demands of the activity. Better muscular fitness may provide another health-related reason to encourage active school travel.

Associations between muscle strength, spirometric pulmonary function and mobility in healthy older adults.

Pathological obstruction in lungs leads to severe decreases in muscle strength and mobility in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The purpose of this study was to investigate the interdependency between muscle strength, spirometric pulmonary functions and mobility outcomes in healthy older men and women, where skeletal muscle and pulmonary function decline without interference of overt disease. A total of 135 69- to 81-year-old participants were recruited into the cross-sectional study, which was performed as a part of European study MyoAge. Full, partial and no mediation models were constructed to assess the interdependency between muscle strength (handgrip strength, knee extension torque, lower extremity muscle power), spirometric pulmonary function (FVC, FEV1 and FEF50) and mobility (6-min walk and Timed Up and Go tests). The models were adjusted for age, sex, total fat mass, body height and site of enrolment. Partial mediation models, indicating both direct and pulmonary function mediated associations between muscle strength and mobility, fitted best to the data. Greater handgrip strength was significantly associated with higher FVC, FEV1 and FEF50 (p < 0.05). Greater muscle power was significantly associated with better performance in mobility tests. Results suggest that decline in mobility with aging may be caused by decreases in both muscle strength and power but also mediated through decreases in spirometric pulmonary function. Future longitudinal studies are warranted to better understand how loss of function and mass of the respiratory muscles will affect pulmonary function among older people and how these changes are linked to mobility decline.

Association of Dairy Intake with Body Composition and Physical Function in Older Community-Dwelling Women

Impaired muscle function has been demonstrated to be an important predictor of frailty and fracture in elderly people. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the association of dairy intake with body composition and physical performance in 1,456 older women aged 70 to 85 years. Participants were assessed for dairy consumption (milk, yogurt, and cheese) by a validated food frequency questionnaire, body composition by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and physical performance using hand-grip strength and Timed Up and Go tests. Data on falls in the previous 3 months were collected. Women were categorized according to tertiles of dairy intake: first tertile (≤1.5 servings/day), second tertile (1.5 to 2.2 servings/day), and third tertile (≥2.2 servings/day). Main outcomes were compared using analysis of covariance adjusting for confounding factors. Odds ratios for self-reported falls and risk of poor Timed Up and Go were obtained by using binary logistic regression. The mean age was 75.2±2.7 years and body mass index was 27.2±4.7. Compared with those in the first tertile of dairy intake, women in the third tertile had significantly greater whole body lean mass (34.4±0.3 vs 32.9±0.3 kg; P=0.001) and appendicular skeletal muscle mass (15.3±0.2 vs 14.5±0.2 kg; P=0.002), greater hand-grip strength (20.9±0.2 vs 20.0±0.2 kg; P=0.02), and 26% lower odds for a poor Timed Up and Go test (P=0.04); however, the difference in prevalence of falls in the previous 3 months was not statistically significant (10.3% vs 14.4%; P=0.08). Our results suggest an association of higher dairy intake with greater whole body lean mass and better physical performance in older women.

Digit ratio (2D:4D) and handgrip strength in subjects of Han ethnicity: Impact of sex and age

The ratio of the length of the second finger to the fourth finger (2D:4D) is considered to be a putative proxy of prenatal exposure to testosterone, and has been increasingly used as a promising tool to evaluate the impact of prenatal androgenization in humans in such traits as physical performance. In this study, for the first time, we present 2D:4D data on adult participants of Han ethnicity. We consider the sexual dimorphism of 2D:4D and handgrip strength, and also report the relationship between 2D:4D and handgrip strength of males and females. The sample consisted of 54 males and 55 females recruited from a remote village in the Qinling Mountains, China. We found sexual dimorphism of both 2D:4D and handgrip strength, i.e., males had lower 2D:4D and right-left 2D:4D than females and greater handgrip strength than females. There was a sex-specific correlation between 2D:4D and handgrip strength, i.e., 2D:4D in the right hand was negatively correlated with handgrip strength in males but not in females. This relationship may be driven by sexual selection operating on fetal programming.

Association between dietary protein and energy intake, handgrip strength (HGS), and lean body mass (LBM) in hypoalbuminemic maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients

BACKGOUNDProtein energy wasting/malnutrition is a significant problem in MHD patients. More LBM and greater HGS are associated with better survival rates in MHD patients. These associations are not well described in hypoalbuminemic MHD patients who have increased morbidity and mortality.METHODSHypoalbuminemic (albumin &lt;4.0 g/dL) MHD patients from DaVita Dialysis Centers in Los Angeles were enrolled in a randomized, controlled study (FREDI) associating meals during dialysis, phosphorus control and nutritional status. A dietitian measured HGS, assessed LBM by dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry, and protein and energy intake by interview‐assisted three‐day food record.RESULTSThe baseline association between protein and energy intake, HGS, and LBM was assessed in 65 (28 male, 37 female) MHD patients, including 33 Hispanics and 32 Non‐Hispanics with a mean (± SD) age of 56 (±13) years. Body Mass (kg) LBM (%) Seum Albumin (g/dL) HGS‐right hand (kg) Protein Intake (g/day) Energy Intake (kcal/day) 75.4 (±16.6) 68.9 (±8.5) 3.71 (±.27) 24.0 (± 8.7) 73.5 (± 31.3) 1573 (± 705) Protein intake (r=0.38, p=.002), energy intake (r=0.45, p&lt;.001) and HGS (r=0.43, p&lt;.001) were positively correlated with percent LBM. CONCLUSIONSThese findings suggest that even in hypoalbuminemic MHD patients, protein and energy intake is associated with better nutritional status assessed by HGS and LBM.Shire US Inc., Wayne, PA 19087.

It hurts when I do this (or you do that): Posture and pain tolerance

Recent research ( Carney, Cuddy, & Yap, 2010) has shown that adopting a powerful pose changes people's hormonal levels and increases their propensity to take risks in the same ways that possessing actual power does. In the current research, we explore whether adopting physical postures associated with power, or simply interacting with others who adopt these postures, can similarly influence sensitivity to pain. We conducted two experiments. In Experiment 1, participants who adopted dominant poses displayed higher pain thresholds than those who adopted submissive or neutral poses. These findings were not explained by semantic priming. In Experiment 2, we manipulated power poses via an interpersonal interaction and found that power posing engendered a complementary ( Tiedens & Fragale, 2003) embodied power experience in interaction partners. Participants who interacted with a submissive confederate displayed higher pain thresholds and greater handgrip strength than participants who interacted with a dominant confederate.

Comparison of Body Composition, Handgrip Strength, Functional Capacity, and Physical Activity in Elderly Koreans and Korean Immigrants

Immigration to a foreign country has a significant impact on a person's health status and health management behavior. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine body composition (body mass index and muscle area of the mid-upper arm and mid-calf), handgrip strength, functional capacity, and physical activity in elderly Koreans and Korean immigrants. In this cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 87 elderly Korean immigrants and 294 elderly Koreans were recruited from senior centers and senior apartments in the United States and Korea. Compared with elderly Koreans, elderly Korean immigrants had higher mid-calf muscle area (p = 0.06), handgrip strength (p = 0.01), and functional capacity (p = 0.01) and less physical activity (p < 0.01). Older men were more physically active and had more muscle areas, greater handgrip strength, and better functional capacity than older women, whereas older women had higher BMI scores than older men. This study provides motives for the development of health promotion intervention studies (e.g., culturally relevant exercise programs incorporating strength training). Future studies could identify culturally relevant strategies to promote physical activity in elderly Korean immigrants and especially elderly Korean women in both groups.

Are Muscular and Cardiovascular Fitness Partially Programmed at Birth? Role of Body Composition

To determine whether birth weight is associated with handgrip strength and cardiovascular fitness in adolescence and, if so, how these associations are influenced by current body composition. A total of 1801 adolescents (983 females), age 13 to 18.5 years, from the AVENA (Alimentación y Valoración del Estado Nutricional de los Adolescentes Españoles [Food and Assessment of the Nutritional Status of Spanish Adolescents]) study were evaluated. Handgrip strength and cardiovascular fitness were assessed using the handgrip test and the 20-m shuttle run test, respectively. Birth weight was positively associated with handgrip strength in females after controlling for current age, gestational age, breast-feeding, and adolescent body mass index (P = .002), body fat percentage (P < .001), or waist circumference (P = .005), but not after controlling for fat-free mass. The associations were similar yet weaker in males. Females with high birth weight (>90th percentile) had greater handgrip strength than those with normal (10th to 90th percentile) or low (<10th percentile) birth weight, after adjusting for body fat percentage (P = .004). All of the differences became nonsignificant after adjusting for adolescent fat-free mass. Birth weight was not associated with cardiovascular fitness. High birth weight is associated with greater handgrip strength in adolescents, especially in females, yet these associations seem to be highly explained by fat-free mass.

The smoker?s paradox and the real risk of smoking

No satisfactory explanations have been offered for the smoker's paradox, the greater short-term survival of smokers after a myocardial infarction nor for the large variations in the coronary risk rate for smoking ranging between 1 and 5.9. These discrepancies as well as the smoker's paradox may be caused by different baseline characteristics of smokers and nonsmokers, whereas the usually quoted coronary risk of 2 is derived from studies based on the assumption of equal baseline characteristics. As neither this assumption nor the possibility of unequal starting conditions have been tested, we examined the main cardiovascular risk factors in smoking and nonsmoking boys as near as possible to baseline, at the age of fourteen. This age appeared to be best suited, because boys starting to smoke early are most likely to become regular and heavy smokers. Of 336 boys, 39 had smoked 8.3+/-6.0 cigarettes/day for 15.5+/-11.2 months. Compared to nonsmokers, boys who started to smoke early had lower LDL cholesterol and alpha2-antiplasmin, greater handgrip strength, vital capacity and forced expiratory volume, better perfomance on bicycle ergometry and higher testosterone. The differences in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, vital capacity, handgrip strength, testosterone and alpha2-antiplasmin persisted after adjustment for age, body mass, and testosterone. In addition, the differences in perfomance on bicycle ergometry and forced expiratory volume persisted after adjustment for age. These favourable baseline characteristics of those starting to smoke early can explain the smoker's paradox. In addition, they suggest that the individual coronary risk in smokers is considerably higher than 2, because the assumption of equal baseline characteristics of smokers and nonsmokers cannot be upheld.

Evaluation of handgrip strength as a nutritional marker and prognostic indicator in peritoneal dialysis patients

Serum albumin has limitations as a nutritional marker in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) in that it is affected by inflammation, systemic disease, overhydration, and urinary and dialysate protein loss. Handgrip strength is a simple, easily performed bedside test that has been shown to correlate with lean body mass in patients close to inception of dialysis. We evaluated the associations of handgrip strength with other clinical factors and examined its relations with mortality and cardiovascular death in PD patients. We prospectively enrolled 233 chronic PD patients and assessed handgrip strength and other variables at baseline and then followed the patients for a mean (+/-SD) of 30 +/- 14 mo. Baseline handgrip strength was significantly associated with age, sex, height, diabetes, residual glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and hemoglobin but not with C-reactive protein (CRP). After adjustment for age, sex, and height, handgrip strength was most strongly correlated with lean body mass on the basis of creatinine kinetics (r = 0.334, P < 0.001), followed by serum albumin and subjective global assessment. Both men and women who died had lower handgrip strengths than did those who remained alive (P < 0.001). After control for age, sex, diabetes, atherosclerotic vascular disease, GFR, hemoglobin, CRP, and serum albumin, greater handgrip strength was predictive of lower all-cause [hazards ratio (HR): 0.95 (95% CI: 0.92, 0.99); P = 0.005] and cardiovascular [HR: 0.94 (0.90, 0.98); P = 0.004] mortality. Handgrip strength not only is a marker of body lean muscle mass but also provides important prognostic information independent of other covariates, including CRP and serum albumin. Our data suggest that handgrip strength may be used in conjunction with serum albumin as a nutrition-monitoring tool in patients undergoing PD.

A Gender Comparison of Physical Fitness in 4th-Graders

0466 PURPOSE: Questions as to the influence of gender on physical fitness variables in prepubescent boys and girls remains speculative The purpose of this study was to compare physical fitness performance data of 4th-grade boys and girls. METHODS: Informed consent for participation in the study were obtained from the parents and 302 boys (mean age: 9.6 ± 0.57 years; mean height: 138 ± 16.45 cm; mean weight: 38.34 ± 23.43 kg) and 292 girls (mean age: 9.6 ± 0.53; mean height: 138.45 ± 7.1 cm; mean weight: 36.56 ± 9.56 kg) from schools in the Chambersburg, PA area. The subjects performed a one-mile run, abdominal curl-ups test, sit and reach test, standing long jump, and handgrip strength tests. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in BMI between genders. Boys had significantly (P <0.05) faster mile-run times (9.937 ± 2.47 vs 10.54 ± 2.54 min), performed more abdominal curl-ups (38.30 ± 8.73 vs 35.44 ± 9.1), and had greater handgrip strength (22.16 ± 4.29 vs 20.19 ± 4.53 kg) compared to the girls. The girls scored significantly better in the sit and reach test (3.86 ± 4.18 in) vs the boys (1.3 ± 3.45 in.) No differences were seen between groups in the standing long jump (girl's mean: 148.13 ± 29.41 cm; boy's mean: 150.77 ± 27.62 cm.). As boys and girls got bigger the times in the mile run got slower. No correlation was observed between BMI and grip strength indicating that the higher body masses were more related to the fat component in both genders. As BMI decreased abdominal curl up and standing long jump performances improved in both genders. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that gender differences can become apparent in prepubescent children but the role of body mass favors lighter individuals in endurance and power activities.

ASYMMETRY IN HAND GRIP STRENGTH AND FATIGUE IN LOW- AND HIGH-HOSTILE MEN

The present study examined the relationship between hostility level and cerebral hemispheric motor functioning of 70 left cerebral dominant men. Using the Cook-Medley Hostility Scale, the subject group was divided into thirds: One-third (N = 23) were classified as low-hostile, one-third (N = 23) were classified as high-hostile, and the remainder (N = 24) were excluded from analysis. A hand dynamometer was used to assess hand grip strength, perseveration, and fatigue, as measures of hemispheric motor functioning. Results yielded a hand-by-hostility group interaction, which indicated that high-hostile men evidenced sig nificantly less hand grip strength at the right hand and significantly greater hand grip strength at the left hand relative to low-hostile men. These results suggest that high-hostile men may experience relatively greater right-cerebral arousal relative to their low-hostile counterparts. In other results, both groups showed greater perseveration at the left hand than at the right hand. Both groups also showed significant fatigue across trials at both hands. Analysis also revealed a hand-by-trial interaction, indicating that the right hand fatigued more quickly than the left hand across trials. Resistance to fatigue at the left hand and overestimation or relative imprecision in motor movement at the left hand are discussed in terms of arousal theory. These results and others are cited as contributing inroads into distinguishing between the emotional problems of depression, anxiety, and hostility.