title: Comparison of methods of measurement of the finger flexor muscles' strength through dynamometry and modified manual sphygmomanometer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the reproducibility of the modified sphygmomanometer compared to hand dynamometer to measure muscle strength of the flexor muscles of fingers.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed 40 healthy volunteers of both genders, aged between 20 and 55 years, who underwent the muscle strength test in the finger flexor muscles on both hands using two instruments for which the comparison was made between them.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After statistical analysis by the paired Student's ttest, there was no significant difference between the values obtained in modified sphygmomanometer and hand dynamometer tests in relation to right and left sides (p > 0.05). Pearson's coefficient of correlation observed good correlations between them.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The modified sphygmomanometer proved to be a reproducible technique for measuring muscle strength of the finger flexor muscles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Master of Science, Universidade Nove de Julho - UNINOVE, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Paulo Roberto Garcia
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Lucareli
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Vale do Paraíba - UNIVAP, São José dos Campos, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Mário de Oliveira
authors.initials: Mde O
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Vale do Paraíba - UNIVAP, São José dos Campos, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Fernanda Pupio Silva
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Centro Universitário São Camilo, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Rafaela Okano
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Gimenes
authors.affiliation: Universidade Paulista - UNIP, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Juliane Gomes de Almeida
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Lucareli
authors.affiliation: Centro Universitário São Camilo, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Silvio Antonio
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Garbelotti Junior
authors.affiliation: Centro Universitário São Camilo, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Thiago Yukio
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.affiliation: Universidade Paulista - UNIP, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: José Eduardo
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Pompeu