Measuring handgrip strength in school children: inter-instrument reliability between Takei and Jamar

Area of Science:

• Pediatric physical therapy
• Biomechanical assessment
• Sports medicine

Background:

• Handgrip strength is a key indicator of overall health and functional capacity in children.
• Accurate measurement tools are essential for tracking physical development and identifying potential issues.
• Inter-instrument reliability studies are crucial for ensuring consistent data collection across different settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the inter-instrument reliability between Takei and Jamar dynamometers for handgrip strength measurement.
• To assess the test-retest reliability of both dynamometers in a pediatric population.
• To determine if both devices are suitable for assessing handgrip strength in schoolchildren.

Main Methods:

• Fifty-six 5th-grade students (11-12 years old) participated in the study.
• Participants performed handgrip strength tests using both Takei and Jamar dynamometers on two separate occasions (5-day interval).
• Statistical analyses included Pearson correlation coefficients and the Bland-Altman method to assess reliability.

Main Results:

• Very large to almost perfect correlations (r = 0.76–0.91) were found between the Takei and Jamar dynamometers.
• High test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.78–0.85) was observed for both devices.
• No significant differences were found in test-retest measurements for either handgrip dynamometer.

Conclusions:

• The Takei and Jamar dynamometers are both valid and reliable instruments for measuring handgrip strength in 11-12-year-old schoolchildren.
• Either device can be confidently used to assess student handgrip strength in this age group.
• Findings support the use of these dynamometers in pediatric physical assessments and research.