Dinamometria de manos en estudiantes de Merida, México

Abstract

In a sample of 676 students (316 boys and 360 girls) aged 10 to 18 years in Merida, Mexico, hand-held dynamometry was performed to develop a regression model that permitted to estimate the strength of each hand by sex from the upper arm muscle area and age. The right hand was significantly stronger than the left in both men (1.43 kg, t=8.748, p<0.001) and women (1.07 kg, t=9.347, p<0.001). Among the subjects, 94.1% reported being right-handed and the rest left-handed; 71.4% of the right-handed subjects and 60.0% of the left-handed subjects had stronger right hand. However, Chi-squared test showed no significant differences in these distributions (p=0.125). Altogether 70.7% of the sample had stronger right hand than left, and the rest had the opposite pattern of stronger left hand than right and Student's t-tests exhibited significant bilateral difference (p<0.0001) of dynamometric grip strength in either section.