The association of hand grip strength with functional measures in non-ambulatory children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

ABSTRACT Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a disease characterized by progressive loss of muscle fiber, gradually from proximal to distal. Although a few studies have investigated hand grip strength in non-ambulatory DMD patients, a lack of literature was found determining its relationship with functional capacity. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the associations between hand grip strength and functional measures in non-ambulatory children with DMD. Methods: Hand grip strength was evaluated using a dynamometer in children with DMD. The children with DMD were evaluated with the Turkish version of the Egen Klassifikation Scale Version 2 (EK2) for global functional capacity, the Performance of Upper Limb (PUL) for upper limb functional performance and the ABILHAND-Kids for hand ability. Results: The mean age of 38 DMD children was 12.02 ± 1.99 years. Dominant hand grip strength of the children with DMD was higher than the non-dominant hand (p < 0.05). The EK2 was 13.02 ± 5.50, PUL was 49.86 ± 14.34 and ABILHAND-Kids was 26.81 ± 7.59. Hand grip strength was found to be correlated with the EK2 (p < 0.05). Conclusions: It is known that measuring functional ability and strength in very weak children with DMD has been difficult and complex for therapists/clinicians in the clinical environment. Although there is a moderate correlation, hand grip strength may be used in clinical practice as a practical assessment tool to have an immediate insight into the global functional capacity in non-ambulatory DMD children.