Manual dexterity characteristics throughout the menstrual cycle in healthy female dentists: An observational study

Throughout the regular menstrual cycle, women experience fluctuations in hormonal levels, including estrogen and progesterone. Dentists often perform repetitive hand movements requiring highly proficient manual dexterity to skillfully grip and manipulate tools. Hormonal factors have been suggested to influence female dentists' level of function, thus potentially making them more vulnerable to musculoskeletal injuries than their male counterparts. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate female dentists' manual dexterity and handgrip strength (HGS) during different phases of the menstrual cycle.

Forty-five healthy female dentists with regular menstrual cycles participated in this study. Their ages and body mass index (BMI) were 25-35 years and 18.5-24.9 kg/m², respectively. The participants' manual dexterity and HGS were assessed during the menstrual, ovulation, and mid-luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. Manual dexterity was assessed with various measures of the Purdue Pegboard Test (PPT), including dominant hand, non-dominant hand, both hands, total, and assembly tasks. HGS for both dominant and non-dominant hands was measured with a handgrip dynamometer.

Statistically significantly higher mean values (P < 0.05) were obtained for all measures of the PPT and HGS during the ovulation phase compared to the menstrual and mid-luteal phases. In addition, statistically significantly higher mean values (P < 0.05) were observed for all measures of the PPT and HGS during the mid-luteal phase compared to the menstrual phase.

The menstrual phase may hinder proficiency in hand motor functions, such as manual dexterity and HGS, in female dentists, thus potentially increasing their vulnerability to future musculoskeletal dysfunction.