Hand-grip strenghts in right- and left-handers with different degrees of hand preferences

Abstract

We evaluated hand grip- strength in right- and left-handed individuals with different degrees of preferences. Six hundred and thirty-three individuals (343 men, 290 women) aged between 18 and 42 years (22.11±2,07) participated. Hand preference was determined using the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. A hydraulic hand dynamometer was used to measure the grip-strengths, while sitting with the elbow in 90° flexion and the forearm in semi-pronation, lying on an arm rest. The mean value of three trials was recorded. Statistically significant differences were observed among strongly right-handed men, weakly right-handed men, ambidextrous men, weakly left-handed men, and strongly left-handed men for right-hand grip strength. The differences between strong left- and strong right-handed men, weak right-handed and strong left-handed men, ambidextrous, and strong left-handed men were the primary reasons for the significance. No statistically significant difference was found among the different hand preference groups of men for the left hand, and no statistically significant difference was detected among different hand preference groups of women for either hand. Our study provides insight into the relationship between handedness and hand performance based on grip strength in a Turkish population. © Universitätsverlag Ulm GmbH 2008