Valores de referência e equação preditora da força isométrica dos membros superiores em indivíduos saudáveis

Abstract

Introduction/Aims: Methods to assess strength, the main component of muscle homeostasis, are still restricted to ones that categorize strength and do not quantify it despite the understanding of the importance of muscle health and the preservation of this during unhealthy conditions. We aimed to establish the reference values and predictor equations for maximal isometric strength in healthy individuals aged 18 to 80 years. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study evaluating muscle strength measured by handheld dynamometry (HHD) of healthy individuals aged 18 to 80 years. Individuals with cognitive impairment preventing them from understand the protocol, osteomyoarticular symptoms in the last 2 months, and some cardiorespiratory or systemic condition that contraindicates the performance of the protocol were excluded. The sample was composed of healthy Brazilian volunteers. The evaluation protocol of isometric contraction was done using the HHD by measuring the strength of 10 muscle groups of the right and left upper limbs. Result: A total of 210 volunteers from 11 Brazilian states participated in the study. The most frequent race was Black at 41.9%, and 54% of the sample had a college degree; 35% were catholics. Comparison of the direct measure of HHD with the proposed force equation revealed a very good correlation, superior to the North American reference equation, published in a previous study. Conclusion: This study delimits reference values for isometric strength of the main muscle groups of the upper limbs.