Effect of Exercises on Hand Grip Strength among Nursing Students

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Sports Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Hand grip strength is crucial for nursing students' ability to perform clinical tasks and prevent injuries.
• Weak grip strength can lead to fatigue, musculoskeletal issues, and reduced work efficiency.
• Targeted exercises can improve muscular strength and functional capacity in the hands and arms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess baseline hand grip strength in nursing students.
• To evaluate the impact of a structured exercise program on nursing students' hand grip strength.
• To determine the relationship between hand grip strength and demographic factors like age, gender, BMI, and hand dominance.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental design with a control group and pre-test/post-test assessment was used.
• 200 final-year nursing students were randomly assigned to experimental (n=100) or control (n=100) groups.
• The intervention involved 4 hand and arm exercises over 10 days, with strength measured by dynamometer.

Main Results:

• The experimental group showed significant improvement in hand grip strength, with weak grip decreasing from 85% to 36%.
• The control group exhibited minimal changes, while the experimental group's mean grip strength increased significantly (P=0.000).
• Hand grip strength was significantly associated with gender and Body Mass Index (BMI), but not age or hand dominance.

Conclusions:

• Structured exercise programs are effective in enhancing hand grip strength among nursing students.
• Gender and BMI significantly influence the outcomes of hand grip strengthening exercises.
• Integrating targeted hand and arm exercises into nursing curricula can improve students' physical readiness and occupational performance.