Reliability and Validity of Upper Limb Muscle Strength Measurements by Handheld Dynamometer in Patients With Chronic...

Area of Science:

• Pulmonary Medicine
• Rehabilitation Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• International guidelines recommend upper limb muscle strengthening for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Accurate assessment of muscle strength is crucial for developing tailored and effective exercise programs.
• This study focuses on the shoulder abductors, elbow flexors, and extensors, key muscle groups for upper limb function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the reliability and validity of using a handheld dynamometer for measuring maximum voluntary isometric strength.
• To assess the strength of shoulder abductors, elbow flexors, and extensors in COPD patients.
• To determine the suitability of handheld dynamometry for clinical application in COPD management.

Main Methods:

• Maximum voluntary isometric strength was measured using a handheld dynamometer.
• The one-repetition maximum (1RM) test with dumbbells was also performed.
• Three measurement sessions were conducted over 24 hours by two different physiotherapists to assess intra-rater and inter-rater reliability.

Main Results:

• Fifty-seven COPD patients were included, with 54 analyzed.
• Excellent intra-rater reliability was found for all measured muscle groups (r > 0.84).
• Good to excellent inter-rater reliability was observed between physiotherapists (r > 0.76).
• Concordance between handheld dynamometry and 1RM testing showed poor to good results for intra-rater measurements.

Conclusions:

• Handheld dynamometry demonstrates high reliability and validity for assessing upper limb muscle strength in COPD patients.
• This method is suitable for routine clinical practice.
• The findings support the use of handheld dynamometers to guide the design of upper limb strengthening programs for COPD individuals.