Test of grip strength using the Jamar dynamometer

The measurement of grip strength is an important element in hand rehabilitation. Tests of grip strength are often used to assess patients with upper extremity disorders, before and after therapeutic procedures. These tests are simple to administer and if properly conducted, they provide objective information that may contribute to the analysis of hand function. The test protocol must be carefully developed and adequately followed. A well-recommended instrument in the literature is the Jamar dynamometer, with high rates of reliability and validity. This instrument has been accepted as a gold standard for the measurement of grip strength and has been frequently used in clinical practice by occupational and physical therapists. The present study reviews some aspects involved in the measurement of grip strength using the Jamar dynamometer, including the instrument reliability and precision, a suggested protocol for its use, important variables that may influence the results, the use of normative data and the factors that influence grip strength such as the individual’s sex, age, weight and height. Recommendations are made regarding these variables in order to help the clinicians’ conduct appropriate assessments of grip strength.