Effect of Elbow Flexors Fatigue on Hand Grip Strength

This study will be conducted to investigate the effect of elbow flexors fatigue on handgrip strength in physiotherapy students

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Hand Grip Strength
• Intervention / Treatment: Diagnostic test: Jamar handheld dynamometer

Detailed Description

Physiotherapy students rely heavily on hand function throughout their academic and professional careers. Strong hand grip strength is essential for various tasks, including manual therapy techniques, grasping objects, and maintaining writing posture (Lakshmanan et al., 2024; Butt et al., 2022).

Interestingly, research suggests a close link between handgrip strength and endurance, with weakness in one impacting the other (Butt et al., 2022). This highlights the importance of hand function not only for effective treatment delivery but also for students' academic performanceas studies have shown a correlation between handgrip strength and writing speed (Butt et al., 2022).

However, several aspects of a physiotherapy student's life can contribute to elbow flexor fatigue, potentially compromising hand function. These include prolonged static postures while studying from phones or tablets, holding textbooks, and maintaining writing positions during notetaking (Lakshmanan et al., 2024). These factors, prevalent in student life, are likely to continue and potentially worsen in professional practice, where manual therapy techniques and repetitive movements further strain the elbow flexors (Lakshmanan et al., 2024).

Muscle fatigue is characterized by the inability to sustain the required force or power output during activity, ultimately reducing a muscle's capacity to complete tasks over time at a specific load (Li et al., 2024). This physiological phenomenon is accompanied by a subjective experience of increased tiredness or even exhaustion (Li et al., 2024).

Furthermore, muscle fatigue extends beyond a simple lack of energy, demonstrably impairing physical performance and cognitive function. Studies have revealed that fatigue alters muscle activation patterns, potentially increasing the risk of injuries and even fatalities. Notably, research suggests that lower extremity muscle fatigue specifically affects postural control and dynamic balance in older adults while also hindering exercise performance in young adults (Li et al., 2024).

Understanding the relationship between elbow flexor fatigue and hand grip strength in this population is crucial. By investigating this connection, we can gain valuable insights into optimizing hand function for physiotherapy students. This knowledge can be translated into practical strategies to improve treatment efficacy, prevent injuries, and ultimately enhance student success in both academic and professional settings.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 45

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Omar Al Askary, Bacheleor; Phone Number: +201117673410; Email: omarneos@gmail.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy adults

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Adult non-athletic physiotherapy students with age range between (18: 25) years old
2. Dominant hand is either the right or the left hand
3. Body mass index between (18.5:24.99) Kg/ m2.(

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Traumatic conditions of the upper limb.
2. Previous orthopedic disorders or neurological deficit of the upper limb.
3. Previous surgery of the upper limbs.
4. Any sensory problems.
5. Neuromuscular disease like multiple sclerosis.
6. Pregnancy.
7. Cancer Patients.
8. Immunodeficiency diseases.
9. Psychological disorders (depression - anxiety).
10. Chronic diseases as (diabetes - hypertension)
11. Participants with hand deformity
12. Participants with specific hand muscles weakness

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Hand grip strength	Assessing hand grip strength after induced elbow flexors fatigue	3 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Cairo University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Omar Al Askary, Bacheleor, Misr University for Science and Technology; Study Chair: Soheir Shehata, Professor, Cairo univerity; Study Director: Magda Ramadan, Ass. Professor, Cairo University; Study Director: Ahmed Elhamy, Lecturer, Misr University for Science and Technology

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): December 17, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): February 15, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): February 28, 2028

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 16, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 16, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 16, 2024
• Last Verified: December 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: fatigue; Hand grip strength; Elbow flexors
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Fatigue
• Other Study ID Numbers: P.T.REC/012/005454

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No