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The reliability and validity of the Tekdyne hand dynamometer: Part II
J L Stephens1, N Pratt, S Michlovitz
1Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Summary
The Tekdyne hand dynamometer shows high reliability and validity for measuring grip strength, comparable to the Jamar dynamometer. Softer grip tools did not significantly increase grip strength post-carpal tunnel release surgery.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Accurate grip strength measurement is crucial for assessing hand function and recovery after carpal tunnel release (CTR).
- The Jamar dynamometer is a standard tool, but newer devices like the Tekdyne offer potential alternatives.
- Investigating the impact of grip surface softness on grip strength measurements, particularly after surgical intervention, is important for clinical interpretation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Tekdyne hand dynamometer against the standard Jamar dynamometer for grip strength assessment.
- To test the hypothesis that grip strength measurements might be higher on softer surfaces (Tekdyne, modified Jamar) compared to the standard Jamar dynamometer within six weeks after carpal tunnel release (CTR).
Main Methods:
- Compared grip strength measurements using the Tekdyne, standard Jamar (SJ), and modified Jamar (MJ) dynamometers.
- Recruited 48 healthy subjects and 30 subjects post-open-palm CTR.
- Assessed Tekdyne reliability (intrasession and intersession) and its correlation with Jamar measurements in both groups.
Main Results:
- The Tekdyne hand dynamometer demonstrated strong correlations with the Jamar dynamometer in both healthy (r = 0.975) and post-CTR (r = 0.871) subjects.
- High intrasession reliability (ICC > 0.95) and intersession reliability (ICC = 0.971) were observed for the Tekdyne.
- No statistically significant difference was found in grip strength ratios between the measurement devices for the operated hand, refuting the hypothesis about softer surfaces enhancing grip strength post-surgery.
Conclusions:
- The Tekdyne hand dynamometer is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring grip strength, comparable to the Jamar dynamometer.
- Grip surface softness does not appear to significantly influence grip strength measurements in the early recovery period (1-6 weeks) after carpal tunnel release.
- The Tekdyne offers a dependable alternative for grip strength assessment in clinical and research settings involving hand function evaluation.