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Reliability of handgrip strength test in elderly subjects with unilateral thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis

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HAND

Abstract

Background

The grip strength test is widely used; however, little has been investigated about its reliability when used in elderly with subjects thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) osteoarthritis (OA). The purpose of this study was to examine the test–retest reliability of the grip strength test in elderly subjects with thumb CMC OA.

Methods

A total of 78 patients with unilateral thumb CMC OA, 84.6 % female (mean ± SD age 83 ± 5 years), were recruited. Each patient performed three pain free maximal isometric contractions on each hand in two occasions, 1 week apart. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM), and 95 % limits of agreement (LOA) were calculated.

Results

Test–retest reliability was excellent for side affected (ICC = 0.947; p = 0.001) and contralateral (ICC = 0.96; p = 0.001) thumb CMC OA.

Conclusions

The present results indicate that maximum handgrip strength can be measured reliably, using the Jamar hand dynamometer, in patients with thumb CMC OA, which enables its use in research and in the clinic to determine the effect of interventions on improving grip.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by personal funds of Jorge Hugo Villafañe (JHV). The authors thank C.C, for their assistance.

Conflict of Interest

Jorge Hugo Villafañe declares that he has no conflict of interest.

Kristin Valdes declares that he has no conflict of interest.

Statement of Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all participants and all procedures were conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IRCCS Don Gnocchi Foundation, Milan, Italy

    Jorge Hugo Villafañe

  2. Hand Works Therapy, Sarasota, Fla., Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Kristin Valdes

  3. University of Bologna, Via U. Foscolo, 7-40123, Bologna, Italy

    Carla Vanti & Paolo Pillastrini

  4. Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department, University of Brescia, Via Branze, 38-25123, Brescia, Italy

    Alberto Borboni

Authors
  1. Jorge Hugo Villafañe
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  2. Kristin Valdes
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  3. Carla Vanti
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  4. Paolo Pillastrini
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  5. Alberto Borboni
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Correspondence to Jorge Hugo Villafañe.

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Villafañe, J.H., Valdes, K., Vanti, C. et al. Reliability of handgrip strength test in elderly subjects with unilateral thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis. HAND 10, 205–209 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11552-014-9678-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11552-014-9678-y

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