Effect of self-selected handgrip position on maximal handgrip strength

Objective: To assess whether participants were able to select the handgrip position on a Jamar hand dynamometer with which the maximal handgrip strength could be delivered, while sitting and while standing. Design: A criterion standard comparison study. Setting: A university campus in the Netherlands. Participants: Fifty-six healthy subjects (30 men, 26 women; mean age, 30y; range, 19-60y) voluntarily participated. Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: Maximal handgrip strength for the self-selected and non-self-selected handgrip position of the hand dynamometer (positions 2 or 3), while sitting and while standing. Results: The self-selected handgrip position resulted in the highest mean maximal grip strength compared with the non-self-selected handgrip strength, both for sitting (mean difference, 2.3kg; Pless than or equal to.001) and for standing (mean difference, 2.1kg; Pless than or equal to.001). Results: The self-selected handgrip position resulted in the highest mean maximal grip strength compared with the non-self-selected handgrip strength, both for sitting (mean difference, 2.3kg; Pless than or equal to.001) and for standing (mean difference, 2.1kg; Pless than or equal to.001). Conclusions: Both in sitting and in standing, participants were able to self-select the handgrip position on the hand dynamometer with which the maximal handgrip strength could be delivered. Therefore, it may be useful to introduce self-selection of the handgrip position in protocols to assess the maximal handgrip strength.