title: Reliability of the pinch strength with digitalized pinch dynamometer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the intra-rater, inter-rater, and inter-instrumental reliability of the digitalized pinch muscle strength dynamometer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty normal subjects were examined for pinch strength, using both the Preston pinch gauge and the digitalized pinch dynamometer. The participants performed all pinch strength tests in the seated position as recommended by the American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT). Three successive measurements were taken for each hand. The mean of the three trials was used for data analysis. The pinch strength tests performed used a repeated measure design and measurements were taken by each rater.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The relationship between the Preston pinch gauge and the digitalized pinch dynamometer in pinch strength was reliable (the ICC were 0.821 and 0.785 in rater 1 and rater 2 respectively). The relationship between the first session and second session in pinch strength using the digitalized pinch dynamometer was reliable (the ICC were 0.872 and 0.886 in rater A and rater B respectively). The relationship between rater A and rater B in pinch strength using the digitalized pinch dynamometer was reliable (the ICC was 0.754).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pinch strength measurement using the digitalized pinch dynamometer is reliable within the rater and between raters. Thus, the Preston pinch gauge and the digitalized dynamometer measure grip strength equivalently, and can be used interchangeably.
authors: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Jinju 660-702, Korea.
authors: Heesuk
authors: H
authors: Shin
authors: Seung Won
authors: SW
authors: Moon
authors: Gab-Soon
authors: GS
authors: Kim
authors: Jung Dong
authors: JD
authors: Park
authors: Jin Hoan
authors: JH
authors: Kim
authors: Mi Jin
authors: MJ
authors: Jung
authors: Chul Ho
authors: CH
authors: Yoon
authors: Eun Shin
authors: ES
authors: Lee
authors: Min-Kyun
authors: MK
authors: Oh