ABSTRACT

Hand grip strength is an important limiting factor in many occupational tasks as well as in general activity. Grip strength is affected by many factors. Some of these are task-related, including grip span requirements, grip surface geometry and friction, hand orientation, force-time requirements, movement of the hand during the grip effort, task repetition, and the use of gloves. Other factors relate to individual subject or worker strength characteristics as affected by age, gender, hand size, and muscular strength acquired over time through occupational, domestic, and recreational activity. As with any type of strength, hand grip strength is highly individualistic. Population means and standard deviations should be developed for a given class with workers or product users whenever this is feasible to assure human/ equipment compatibility.