Force Production Measurements During a Supine Medicine Ball Throw: a Reliability and Correlation Study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the reliability of supine medicine ball throw peak force and rate of force development (RFD) measurements. A secondary aim was to investigate the correlations between these measurements and vertical jump height. METHODS: Twenty young women (21±3 years) reported for experimental testing on two different occasions. Supine medicine ball throw assessments were performed during each testing session to assess peak force, RFDmax, and RFD at specific percentages of peak force (RFD30% and RFD40-80%). Vertical jumps were performed on a jump mat. The jump mat measured vertical jump height based on flight time. RESULTS: Good intraclass correlation coefficients (≥0.82) and coefficients of variation (≤14.0%) were observed between sessions for peak force, RFDmax, and RFD40-80%, but not for RFD30% (0.55, 27.2%). There were significant correlations between jump height and peak force (r=0.483, P=0.031), RFDmax (r=0.484, P=0.031), and RFD40-80% (r=0.491, P=0.028). There was no significant correlation between jump height and RFD30% (r=0.359, P=0.120). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that supine medicine ball throw peak force, RFDmax, and RFD40-80% were reliable measures for assessing upper-body explosive strength in young adults. These measurements were significantly associated with vertical jump height and therefore, may be effective predictors of one's athletic ability.

Can handgrip strength measurements predict postural balance performance in older women?

OBJECTIVES: The link between handgrip strength and postural balance in older adults is not well understood. This study aimed to examine the correlations between postural balance performance and handgrip peak force and rate of force development (RFD) measurements in older women. METHODS: Twenty older women (67 ± 5 years) participated in this study. Handgrip contractions were used to assess peak force, peak RFD, and RFD at 0-100 (RFD100) and 0-200 (RFD200) ms. Postural balance was evaluated using a commercially designed balance testing device, which provides a measurement of static stability based on the sway index. RESULTS: There were significant correlations between sway index and handgrip peak force (r = -0.497, P = 0.026), peak RFD (r = -0.552, P = 0.012), RFD100 (r = -0.539, P = 0.014), and RFD200 (r = -0.499, P = 0.025). Stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that handgrip peak RFD was the single best predictor of sway index (R2 = 0.305). The other variables, including peak force, did not add any unique variance to the stepwise prediction model. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that handgrip strength, and in particular peak RFD, may be an effective parameter at predicting postural balance performance in older women.

Reliability of handgrip strength measurements and their relationship with muscle power.

BACKGROUND: Handgrip peak force and rate of force development (RFD) have been shown to be useful measurements at characterizing the strength capacities of numerous muscle groups, including those of the lower extremities. However, the reliability of these measurements and their relationship with peak muscle power remain uncertain. We aimed to examine the reliability of handgrip peak force and RFD measurements. A secondary aim was to determine if these measurements are correlated with peak muscle power. METHODS: Twenty young women (21±3 years) reported for testing on two different occasions. Handgrip contractions were performed during each testing session to assess peak force, peak RFD, and RFD at 0-100 (RFD100) and 0-200 (RFD200) ms. Peak power was assessed from a vertical jump test. RESULTS: Handgrip peak force and RFD measurements were highly consistent between sessions, with intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.89-0.92 and coefficients of variation of 4.9-6.4%. There were significant correlations between peak power and handgrip peak force (r=0.612, P=0.004), peak RFD (r=0.731, P<0.001), RFD100 (r=0.671, P=0.001), and RFD200 (r=0.701, P=0.001). Stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that handgrip peak RFD was the single best predictor of peak power (R2=0.535). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that handgrip peak force and RFD measurements are highly reliable and significantly associated with performance during a vertical jump test. The output from our multiple regression analysis suggests that handgrip peak RFD may be an effective predictor of muscle power.