Handgrip Evaluation: Endurance and Handedness Dominance

This work contributes to the development of a repeatable and objective methodology for relating the physiological energy spent during a handgrip exercise, identified through the variation of skin temperature, with the average grip force, and evaluate its influence on exercise endurance and handedness dominance. For that purpose, a special handgrip dynamometer is used as well as an Infrared Thermal Imaging (IRT) to map large areas of skin surface temperature. Results suggest that at least a 10-grips test with the dynamometer is required to produce reliable thermal results and the dominant hand should be used. In the future, relationship between the thermal variables and mechanical work involved during the handgrip should be addressed. The developed methodology should be applied to populations at health risk conditions to which the use of the handgrip dynamometer can provide information for diagnose and treatment assessment.