Dynamometric measurement of hand grip and pinch strength as functional independency outcome in neuromuscular diseases.
Turkan Akin, Tarik Duksal, Sezin Solum
PMID 41159518WHAT IT FOUND
In 96 patients with neuromuscular disease, hand grip and pinch strength did not differ significantly between diagnostic groups, yet correlated positively with self-reported hand function and daily living independence scores.
Key findings
01Hand grip, lateral key grip, and pinch grip strengths showed no significant difference between the four diagnostic groups (motor neuron, neuromuscular junction, neuropathy, and muscle pathologies).
02Positive significant correlations were found between dynamometric measurements (grip and pinch strength) and functional scales (Barthel Index and ABILHAND) across all parameters.
03Motor neuron disease patients had significantly lower Barthel Index and ABILHAND scores compared to patients with neuromuscular junction and muscle disorders, despite similar grip strengths.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small (96 patients), particularly in subgroups like motor neuron disorders (10 patients), which limits the power to detect differences. The study was retrospective, relying on existing medical records, which may introduce selection bias or incomplete data. Demographic factors such as age, gender, socioeconomic status, and education were not controlled for in the analysis, despite being known to influence grip strength. The disease duration was relatively short (mean 10.13 months), which may affect the generalizability of findings to chronic or advanced stages of neuromuscular disease. Heterogeneity within diagnostic groups (e.g., various types of myopathies) may mask specific patterns of strength loss or functional impact.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflict of interest with any financial organization regarding the material discussed in the manuscript.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that normal hand grip or pinch strength indicates preserved functional independence in neuromuscular disease. Patients with motor neuron disorders had significantly lower Barthel and ABILHAND scores despite grip strengths that were not significantly different from other groups. Strength measurements alone can miss substantial functional disability.