Comparison of Grip Strength in Recreational Climbers and Non-Climbing Athletes—A Cross-Sectional Study
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials & Methods
2.1. Experimental Approach to the Problem
2.2. Subjects
2.3. Inclusion Criteria
2.4. Exclusion Criteria
2.5. Circumference of Upper and Lower Arm
2.6. Measurement of Grip Force
2.7. Statistics
3. Results
3.1. Characteristics of Climbers and Non-Climbers
3.2. Circumference of Upper and Lower Arm
3.3. Hand and Finger Grip Strength
4. Discussion
4.1. The Circumference of Lower and Upper Arm Shows that Just One Measuring Point Is Enhanced in Recreational Climbers
4.2. Grip Strength Assessment Serves as A Reliable Tool to Distinguish Climbers from Non-Climbers
4.3. Differences between the Dominant and Non-Dominant Hand Are Pronounced in Non-Climbers
4.4. Study Limitations
5. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
BMI | Body mass index |
DAV | German Alpine Club |
DFG | German Research Foundation |
DGUV | German Social Accident Insurance |
IRCRA | International Rock Climbing Research Association |
UIAA | International Union of Alpine Associations |
YDS | Yosemite Decimal System |
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Location | Hand | Climbers | Non-Climbers | p | ES | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean | SD | 95%-CI | Mean | SD | 95%-CI | ||||
15 cm above lateral epicondyle (cm) | Dom | 28.82 | 2.871 | 28.0–29.6 | 29.08 | 3.039 | 28.2–29.9 | n.s. (0.6662) | trivial |
Non-dom | 28.65 | 2.836 | 27.9–29.4 | 28.74 | 3.289 | 27.8–29.7 | n.s. (0.8768) | trivial | |
Greatest circumference upper arm (cm) | Dom | 30.81 | 3.127 | 29.9–31.7 | 31 | 3.363 | 30.0–32.0 | n.s. (0.7761) | trivial |
Non-dom | 30.26 | 2.97 | 29.4–31.1 | 30.68 | 3.483 | 29.7–31.7 | n.s. (0.5184) | trivial | |
Elbow (cm) | Dom | 25.89 | 1.96 | 25.3–26.4 | 25.38 | 2.733 | 24.6–26.2 | n.s. (0.2811) | trivial |
Non-dom | 25.66 | 2.083 | 25.1–26.3 | 25.41 | 2.179 | 24.8–26.0 | n.s. (0.5525) | trivial | |
Greatest circumference lower arm (cm) | Dom | 26.9 | 2.374 | 26.2–27.6 | 26.17 | 2.293 | 25.5–26.8 | n.s. (0.0761) | small |
Non-dom | 26.57 | 2.392 | 25.9–27.2 | 25.83 | 2.366 | 25.2–26.5 | n.s. (0.0997) | small | |
10 cm below lateral epicondyle (cm) | Dom | 26.12 | 2.444 | 25.4–26.8 | 24.8 | 2.843 | 24.0–25.6 | * (0.0142) | small |
Non-dom | 25.68 | 2.617 | 24.9–26.4 | 24.55 | 2.511 | 23.8–25.3 | * (0.0288) | small | |
Wrist (cm) | Dom | 16.88 | 2.332 | 16.2–17.5 | 16.43 | 1.258 | 16.1–16.8 | n.s. (0.5229) | trivial |
Non-dom | 16.56 | 1.981 | 16.0–17.1 | 16.44 | 1.275 | 16.1–16.8 | n.s. (0.8191) | trivial | |
Midhand (cm) | Dom | 19.98 | 1.692 | 19.5–20.5 | 19.96 | 1.774 | 19.5–20.5 | n.s. (0.9485) | trivial |
Non-dom | 19.82 | 1.56 | 19.4–20.3 | 19.63 | 1.751 | 19.1–20.1 | n.s. (0.5587) | trivial | |
Arm length (shoulder/distal ulna, cm) | Dom | 59.45 | 3.807 | 58.4–60.5 | 60.09 | 3.601 | 59.1–61.1 | n.s. (0.3914) | trivial |
Non-dom | 59.47 | 3.812 | 58.4–60.5 | 60.11 | 3.634 | 59.1–61.1 | n.s. (0.3905) | trivial | |
Hand span (greatest distance thumb to distal phalanx little finger, cm) | Dom | 21.2 | 1.702 | 20.7–21.7 | 21.34 | 1.707 | 20.9–21.8 | n.s. (0.6848) | trivial |
Non-dom | 21.25 | 1.632 | 20.8–21.7 | 21.37 | 1.874 | 20.8–21.9 | n.s. (0.7298) | trivial | |
Arm span (cm) | - | 178.10 | 10.150 | 175.2–181.1 | 180.10 | 11.100 | 177.0–183.3 | n.s. (0.3577) | trivial |
Climbers | Non-Climbers | p-Value | ES | |
Dom | ||||
Pinch I/II (kg) | 9.1 [8.4–9.8] | 7.8 [7.1–8.4] | *** (0.0005) | moderate |
Pinch I/III (kg) | 9.3 [8.5–10.1] | 8 [7.2–8.8] | ** (0.0065) | small |
Pinch I/IV (kg) | 6.9 [6.1–7.6] | 5.6 [5.0–6.2] | ** (0.0011) | moderate |
Pinch I/III+IV (kg) | 11.7 [10.8–12.6] | 10 [9.1–10.9] | ** (0.0056) | moderate |
Pinch I/II+III (kg) | 13.5 [12.6–14.4] | 11.7 [10.7–12.7] | * (0.0253) | moderate |
Pinch I/II+III+IV (kg) | 14.4 [13.3–15.5] | 12.3 [11.3–13.2] | *** (0.0007) | moderate |
Fist (kg) | 44.2 [41.0–47.4] | 41.0 [37.7–44.3] | * (0.0446) | small |
Climbers | Non-Climbers | p-Value | ES | |
Non-dom | ||||
Pinch I/II (kg) | 8.3 [7.6–9.0] | 6.8 [6.2–7.3] | ** (0.0058) | moderate |
Pinch I/III (kg) | 8.5 [7.7–9.3] | 7.1 [6.4–7.8] | * (0.0243) | moderate |
Pinch I/IV (kg) | 6.6 [5.9–7.2] | 5.2 [4.7–5.7] | ** (0.0068) | moderate |
Pinch I/III+IV (kg) | 11 [10.0–11.9] | 9.2 [8.3–10.0] | * (0.0105) | moderate |
Pinch I/II+III (kg) | 12.1 [11.2–13.0] | 10.7 [9.9–11.6] | ** (0.0072) | small |
Pinch I/II+III+IV (kg) | 13.9 [12.7–15.1] | 11.4 [10.6–12.3] | ** (0.0032) | moderate |
Fist (kg) | 42.0 [38.8–45.2] | 37.3 [34.0–40.6] | n.s. (0.1650) | small |
Climbers | p-Value | ES | ||
Dom | Non-dom | |||
Pinch I/II (kg) | 9.1 [8.4–9.8] | 8.3 [7.6–9.0] | ** (0.0013) | small |
Pinch I/III (kg) | 9.3 [8.5–10.1] | 8.5 [7.7–9.3] | *** (<0.0001) | small |
Pinch I/IV (kg) | 6.9 [6.1–7.6] | 6.6 [5.9–7.2] | n.s. (0.1071) | trivial |
Pinch I/III + IV (kg) | 11.7 [10.8–12.6] | 11 [10.0–11.9] | ** (0.0036) | trivial |
Pinch I/II + III (kg) | 13.5 [12.6–14.4] | 12.1 [11.2–13.0] | *** (<0.0001) | small |
Pinch I/II + III + IV (kg) | 14.4 [13.3–15.5] | 13.9 [12.7–15.1] | n.s. (0.0785) | trivial |
Fist (kg) | 44.2 [41.0–47.4] | 42.0 [38.8–45.2] | ** (0.004) | trivial |
Non-Climbers | p-value | ES | ||
Dom | Non-dom | |||
Pinch I/II (kg) | 7.8 [7.1–8.4] | 6.8 [6.2–7.3] | *** (<0.0001) | small |
Pinch I/III (kg) | 8 [7.2–8.8] | 7.1 [6.4–7.8] | *** (<0.0001) | small |
Pinch I/IV (kg) | 5.6 [5.0–6.2] | 5.2 [4.7–5.7] | * (0.0101) | trivial |
Pinch I/III + IV (kg) | 10 [9.1–10.9] | 9.2 [8.3–10.0] | *** (0.0002) | small |
Pinch I/II + III (kg) | 11.7 [10.7–12.7] | 10.7 [9.9–11.6] | *** (<0.0001) | small |
Pinch I/II + III + IV (kg) | 12.3 [11.3–13.2] | 11.4 [10.6–12.3] | *** (0.0007) | small |
Fist (kg) | 41.0 [37.7–44.3] | 37.3 [34.0–40.6] | *** (<0.0001) | small |
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Assmann, M.; Steinmetz, G.; Schilling, A.F.; Saul, D. Comparison of Grip Strength in Recreational Climbers and Non-Climbing Athletes—A Cross-Sectional Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 129. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18010129
Assmann M, Steinmetz G, Schilling AF, Saul D. Comparison of Grip Strength in Recreational Climbers and Non-Climbing Athletes—A Cross-Sectional Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(1):129. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18010129
Chicago/Turabian StyleAssmann, Mara, Gino Steinmetz, Arndt Friedrich Schilling, and Dominik Saul. 2021. "Comparison of Grip Strength in Recreational Climbers and Non-Climbing Athletes—A Cross-Sectional Study" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 1: 129. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18010129