Hand Grip Strength of Dominant Hand During 4 Phases of Menstrual Cycle
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Abstract
Background: The menstrual cycle is a key aspect of female reproductive health, characterized by hormonal changes that have been shown to affect various physiological functions, including muscle strength. This study aims to elucidate the relationship between the menstrual cycle and muscle strength by assessing hand grip strength in both dominant and non-dominant hands throughout all four menstrual phases, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the hormonal impacts on muscular performance.
Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was carried out over a span of four months in Lahore, focusing on 30 unmarried eumenorrheic females aged 18-25 years with regular menstrual cycles. Exclusions were made for those with irregular cycles or medical issues. The Hand Grip Dynamometer was used for data collection and SPSS 21.0 for analysis, employing independent sample t-tests for comparing mean strength across menstrual phases.
Results: The investigation included 52 participants with a mean age of 22.92 years. The data revealed that during the menstruation phase, the mean hand grip strength was 18.09 kg for the dominant hand and 19.11 kg for the non-dominant hand. The follicular phase showed a slight increase in mean strength to 18.24 kg for the dominant hand and 19.33 kg for the non-dominant hand. A marginal decrease was observed during ovulation, with the dominant hand averaging 17.96 kg and the non-dominant hand at 16.66 kg. In the luteal phase, the dominant hand's mean strength increased to 18.67 kg, while the non-dominant hand averaged 16.78 kg.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that the menstrual cycle has a measurable impact on hand grip strength, with the dominant hand experiencing a slight decrease in strength during ovulation and the non-dominant hand showing a decrease during both the ovulation and luteal phases. These results indicate that hormonal fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle can influence muscular strength and should be considered in contexts of functional capacity and exercise performance.
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