Bilateral Deficits during Maximal Grip Force Production in Late Postmenopausal Women

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate bilateral deficit patterns during maximal hand-grip force production in late postmenopausal women. Twenty late postmenopausal and 20 young premenopausal women performed maximal isometric grip force production tasks with dominant and nondominant hands and both hands, respectively. For late postmenopausal women, pulse wave analysis was used for identifying a potential relationship between maximal hand-grip strength and risk factors of cardiovascular disease. The findings showed that late postmenopausal women produced significantly decreased maximal hand-grip strength in dominant and nondominant and bilateral hand conditions compared to those of premenopausal women. Bilateral deficit patterns appeared in late postmenopausal women. For late postmenopausal women, decreased dominant and bilateral hand-grip forces were significantly related to greater bilateral deficit patterns. Further, less maximal hand-grip strength in unilateral and bilateral hand conditions correlated with greater central pulse pressure. These findings suggested that age-related impairments in muscle strength and estrogen deficiency may interfere with conducting successful activities of bilateral movements. Further, assessing maximal dominant hand-grip strength may predict bilateral deficit patterns and risk of cardiovascular disease in late postmenopausal women.