Reliability of measuring various contractile functions of finger flexors of men of various ages

Abstract

The aim of the research is to determine the reliability of testing various contractile functions of a male hand based on motoric and functional dominance and age. The examinee takes a seat with their arm extended or mildly flexed in a mildly abducted position. For the measuring purposes, dynamometric probe with isometric straining conditions fixed to a special construction was used. The 'Isometrics' (ver. 3.1.1) was used and frequency of data selection was realized on the level of 500 Hz. The sample includes 269 male examinees aged from 14.0 to 69.9. The results of descriptive statistics have shown that in relation to the tested sample for the non-dominant hand, values for maximum force (Fmax) range from 462.8 to 529.0 N, for explosive force (RFDmax) the range is from 1621.6 to 1972.8 N/s and for muscular force impulse (ImpF50%max) from 8203.9 to 15552.3 Ns, while Fmax values the dominant hand ranges from 478.1 to 566.2 N, for RFDmax it ranges from 1742.6 to 2119.0 N/s and for ImpF50%max 9516.7 to 16845.1 Ns. The results have shown that it is reliable to measure all three examined contractile hand characteristics where by ICC ranges from 0.938 to 0.977 for Fmax, from 0.903 to 0.971 for RFDmaxand from 0.747 to 0.943 for ImpF50%max. The second try as the better result should be considered the representational value for Fmaxand RFDmaxvariables, regardless of the hand dominance or age group. While for the variable ImpF50%max, in the age groups from 35.0 to 49.9 and from 50.0 to 69.9, the first tested try for both hands should be considered, in 14.0 to 19.9 years group the second try should be taken into consideration, and in 20.0 to 34.9 age range, the better result of the non-dominant hand is the first try, and of the dominant is the second try.

Cilj istraživanja je da se utvrdi pouzdanost testiranja različitih kontraktilnih funkcija šake muškaraca, u zavisnosti od motoričko-funkcionalne dominantnosti i uzrasta. Ispitanik zauzima sedeći položaj sa opruženom ili blago fleksiranom rukom, postavljenom u blago abdukcioni položaj. Za potrebe merenja upotrebljena je dinamometrijska sonda, sa izometrijskim uslovima naprezanja, fiksirana za specijalnu konstrukciju. Korišćen je softver 'Isometrics' (ver. 3.1.1), a frekvencija odabira podataka realizovana je na nivou od 500 Hz. Uzorak je obuhvatio 269 ispitanika muškog pola, uzrasta od 14.0 do 69.9 godina. Rezultati deskriptivne statistike su pokazali da se u odnosu na testirani uzorak za nedominantnu ruku vrednosti ispoljene maksimalne jačine (Fmax) nalaze u rasponu od 462.8 do 529.0 N, za eksplozivnu jačinu (RFDmax) u rasponu od 1621.6 do 1972.8 N/s i za impuls mišićne jačine (ImpF50%max) od 8203.9 do 15552.3 Ns, dok su vrednosti Fmax za dominantnu ruku u rasponu od 478.1 do 566.2 N, za RFDmax u rasponu od 1742.6 do 2119.0 N/s i za ImpF50%max od 9516.7 do 16845.1 Ns. Utvrđeno je da se pouzdano mogu meriti sve tri ispitivane kontraktilne karakteristike šake, pri čemu se ICC nalazi u rasponu od 0.938 do 0.977 za Fmax, od 0.903 do 0.971 za RFDmax, i od 0.747 do 0.943 za ImpF50%max.Kao reprezentativnu vrednost za varijable Fmax i RFDmax, bez obzira na dominantnost ruke, ili uzrasnu grupu, treba uzimati drugi pokušaj kao bolji rezultat. Dok za varijablu ImpF50%max, u uzrasnim grupama od 35.0 do 49.9 i od 50.0 do 69.9 godina, uglavnom treba uzimati prvi testirani pokušaj za obe ruke, u grupi od 14.0 do 19.9 godina drugi testirani pokušaj, a u uzrastu od 20.0 do 34.9 godina bolji rezultat nedominantne ruke je prvi, a dominantne drugi pokušaj.