Comparison of Power Grip and Lateral Pinch Strengths between the Dominant and Non-Dominant Hands for Normal Chinese Male Subjects of Different Occupational Demand

The purpose of this study was to establish handgrip data for right hand dominant normal Chinese subjects. Sixty-four males were studied for their power grip and lateral pinch strengths. They were categorized into non-manual and manual workers. Standardized procedure and instructions were used for handgrip testing. Results showed that both the non-manual and manual workers demonstrated stronger power grip and lateral pinch strengths in their dominant hands. The 10% rule was applicable only for power grip strength of non- manual workers and lateral pinch strength of manual workers. No significant difference was found between the dominant grip strengths in these two groups of subjects. It was recommended that when assessing the progress and outcome of hand rehabilitation, the occupation and demand level of hand use of the patient must be taken into consideration when using the uninjured hand for comparison.