Arthritis and rheumatism
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Jan 1999
Grip strength and the risk of developing radiographic hand osteoarthritis: results from the Framingham Study.
In knees, quadriceps strength may protect against osteoarthritis (OA). Muscle activity is a major determinant of forces at the hand joints, and grip is a common task during which high muscle forces are sustained, especially at the proximal hand joints (metacarpophalangeal [MCP] joints and thumb base). This longitudinal study of radiographic hand OA examined the association between incident OA at different hand joints and maximal grip strength. ⋯ Men with high maximal grip strength are at increased risk for the development of OA in the PIP, MCP, and thumb base joints, and women, in the MCP joints. No association was found between maximal grip strength and incident OA in the DIP joints of men or women.