Comparison of Height and Dominant Hand Grip Strength Among Female Physiotherapy Staff: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between dominant hand grip strength and height among female physiotherapists. Hand grip strength is a fundamental function for daily activities and a common measure of upper limb function and general muscular health. The study included a small sample size (n) of 18 female physiotherapists. Two observers recorded participant height (in centimetres) and dominant hand grip strength (in kilograms) using a JAMAR hand dynamometer across three consecutive tests. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, correlation coefficients, and linear regression. A strong, significant positive correlation was found between the participants' height and their dominant hand grip strength, with correlation coefficients (r) ranging from 0.730 to 0.838 (p <0.005). This indicates that taller participants generally had stronger grip strength. However, linear regression analysis showed that height only accounted for a small amount of the variance in grip strength, with an R2 of 0.134. This suggests that while there is a positive relationship, height is a weak predictor of grip strength. The study also found that grip strength measurements varied moderately between the three tests, indicating variability in measurement. The results suggest that height may influence grip strength, but it is not the primary factor. Future research should employ larger samples and include additional variables to fully understand the factors determining grip strength in this population