Original Research Article
Year: 2019 | Month: May | Volume: 9 | Issue: 5 | Pages: 28-33
A Study on Handgrip Strength in Pre- and Post- Menopausal Women of Amritsar on the Basis of Their Rural and Urban Habitat
Neha1, Shyamal Koley2
1Research Fellow, 2Professor and Head,
Department of Physiotherapy, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar -143005, Punjab, India
Corresponding Author: Shyamal Koley
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Menopause is experienced in every woman as they get aged and is marked by the end of their reproductive period. Numerous studies have previously conducted on handgrip strength with regard to nutritional status, falls and fractures, but there is limited information regarding age related changes in women as they proceed from pre-menopause to peri and post-menopausal stage. Hence, the present study was conducted to assess the handgrip strength among pre- and post-menopausal women on the basis of their habitat.
Methods: The study was based on a sample of 802 middle aged women (pre-menopausal= 403 of age 35-45 years and post-menopausal women= 399 of age 45-55years). The data were collected from Civil Hospital, Amritsar and Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, Amritsar, Punjab, India. Further, these women were divided into various groups on the basis of their habitat like rural pre- (n=251) and post-menopausal women (n=303) and urban pre- (n=152) and post-menopausal women (n=96). Apart from dominant and non-dominant handgrip strength, seven anthropometric variables, viz., height vertex, body weight, BMI, upper arm, waist and hip circumferences, waist to hip ratio were measured on all the subjects by standardized techniques.
Results: Results of the present study showed that statistically significant differences (p<0.001) were noted between rural pre- and post-menopausal women in dominant and non-dominant handgrip strength, age, waist and hip circumferences and waist to hip ratio. Statistically significant differences (p<0.02-0.001) were noted in dominant and non-dominant handgrip strength, age, height vertex, BMI, waist and hip circumference, between urban pre- and post-menopausal women. However, in case of rural and urban pre-menopausal women, statistically significant differences (p<0.02) were depicted in body weight and BMI respectively. Statistically significant difference (p<0.03) was noted only in height vertex between rural and urban post-menopausal women. In the rural and urban pre- and post-menopausal women, statistically no significant differences (p>0.05) were noted in dominant and non-dominant handgrip strength.
Conclusion: Rural and urban pre-menopausal women had higher mean values in handgrip strength as compared to their rural and urban post-menopausal counterparts. Statistically no significant differences were found between the pre- and post-menopausal women of rural and urban areas, highlighting on effect of habitat on the handgrip strength of pre- and post-menopausal women.
Key words: Handgrip strength. Rural pre- and post-menopausal women. Urban pre- and post-menopausal women.