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The reliability and validity of the Tekdyne hand dynamometer: Part I
J L Stephens1, N Pratt, B Parks
1Raymond M. Curtis Hand Center, Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Summary
The Tekdyne hand dynamometer shows high reliability in controlled grip strength tests. Further research is needed to confirm its validity against the Jamar dynamometer for clinical use.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Medical instrumentation
Background:
- Hand dynamometers are crucial for assessing grip strength.
- Evaluating the reliability of new devices like the Tekdyne is essential for clinical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the reliability of the Tekdyne hand dynamometer in a controlled laboratory setting.
- To compare the Tekdyne with the Jamar dynamometer for grip strength measurements.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an Instron 1331 universal testing machine for controlled loading.
- Evaluated test-retest and inter-tool reliability of Tekdyne devices.
- Investigated the impact of surface area and force application on Tekdyne readings.
- Assessed inter-tool reliability of a modified Jamar dynamometer.
Main Results:
- High intra-tool and inter-tool reliability for the Tekdyne dynamometer (ICC = 0.993-0.998).
- Surface area and force configuration influenced Tekdyne output.
- Tekdyne measurements correlated strongly with Jamar dynamometer readings (r = 0.988) under controlled load.
Conclusions:
- The Tekdyne hand dynamometer demonstrates excellent reliability in a controlled loading environment.
- While reliable, further studies are required to establish its clinical validity compared to the established Jamar dynamometer for grip strength assessment.