All surveys and hand strength assessments were administered by a single researcher. Each potential research subject was given a paper survey to obtain demographic information, hand dominance (i.e., the writing hand), and medical history. If a patient satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the following anthropometric measurements were taken as previously reported in an anthropometric study of a Caucasian population [14 (link)]: 1) hand width (measured at the level of the distal palmar crease), 2) hand length (distal wrist crease to the tip of the longest finger), 3) forearm length (lateral humeral epicondyle to radial styloid process), and 4) forearm circumference (measured to include the midpoint of the forearm length). Total body weight and height were measured with standard scales.
Grip strength was measured with a Jamar hand dynamometer, and both of the pinch strengths were measured with a Jamar hydraulic pinch gauge (Patterson Medical, Bolingbrook, IL, USA). For each of the strength assessments, subjects were seated with the shoulder adducted and neutrally rotated, elbow flexed at 90° with the forearm in neutral position, and wrists between 0° and 30° of flexion and between 0° and 15° of ulnar deviation [15 (link)]. Each test was performed three consecutive times at 1-minute intervals to reduce measurement bias due to fatigue [16 (link)].
Grip strength was measured with a Jamar hand dynamometer, and both of the pinch strengths were measured with a Jamar hydraulic pinch gauge (Patterson Medical, Bolingbrook, IL, USA). For each of the strength assessments, subjects were seated with the shoulder adducted and neutrally rotated, elbow flexed at 90° with the forearm in neutral position, and wrists between 0° and 30° of flexion and between 0° and 15° of ulnar deviation [15 (link)]. Each test was performed three consecutive times at 1-minute intervals to reduce measurement bias due to fatigue [16 (link)].
