Fizička Kultura (Jan 2018)
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.
