Correlation Between Grip Strength and Scapular Muscles Strength Among Goldsmith Workers in Pune: A Correlational Study

Abstract

Introduction: Gold ornament making industries are small scale widespread industries. Goldsmith workers make use of tools like cables, screw drivers, clippers, burr set, pliers at workplace which involve in doing different gripping activities. Due to these repetitive motions at workplace grip strength is affected in goldsmith workers which is one of the musculoskeletal disorders among them. Grip strength affection is related to scapular muscle strength because hand is the most distal component and shoulder is the most proximal component. They both are connected to each other via upper limb kinetic chain. Inclusion of shoulder rehab in plan of treatment for reduced grip strength would be more effective and if treated from proximal most component the maintenance of functional Method: 110 samples were collected, they were approached and consented for the assessment. Scapular muscles testing assessment was done by individual muscle testing, and grip strength assessment was done by hand dynamometer. Result: Purposive sampling method was used in which results were calculated by Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. The Spearman’s rho value is 0.543 for right side which indicates that there is moderate correlation according to grading standards of Spearman’s correlation between scapular muscle strength and grip strength. And for left side the value is 0.567 that is also moderate correlation according to grading standards of Spearman’s correlation between scapular muscle strength and grip strength. The rank associated with these two values is +1 hence there is significant positive correlation within these two. Conclusion: It was concluded that there is a significant positive correlation observed between scapular muscle strength and grip strength. Hence, we accept our alternative hypothesis H1 which stated that - there will be correlation between scapular muscles strength and grip strength. Key words: Goldsmith workers, grip strength, scapular muscles strength, prehension activities, power grip