Relationship of hand and pinch grip strength among smartphone users
Description
Introduction: Excessive smartphone use commissions the hand and wrist under repetitive stress, leading to pain in the thumb, wrist, and fingers leading to its weakness and fatigue which can have a retarding impact on activities of daily living. With the adoption of a technology-friendly lifestyle, the use of smartphones has increased to threefold particularly among the adolescent population. This can be an associated to a cause of reduced gripping ability among the concerned. Objectives: Compare hand and pinch grip strengths among high- and low-risk adolescent smartphone users. In addition, explore the anthropometric variables and its association with the gripping ability. Materials and methods: Participants were recruited based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 160 individuals between 10 and 18 years were selected as subjects. Demographic data and anthropometric measurements were recorded for each participant. Hand measurements (hand length, hand width, palm length and maximum spread of the hand) were obtained using a measuring tape. Hand and pinch grip strength measurements were assessed using a Baseline Hydraulic Handheld Dynamometer and Hydraulic Pinch Gauge respectively. Comparison was performed by grouping the subjects in two categories: high and low users using the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)-Short version. Thumb pain following use of smartphone was assessed using Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Outcome measures used were Baseline Hydraulic Handheld Dynamometer, Hydraulic Pinch Gauge and VAS. Results: No significant correlation was found between individual grip strength and SAS score. However, an excellent positive correlation was noted between bilateral gripping ability and smartphone use.