The use of simple muscle strength tests to reflect body compositions among individuals with spinal cord injury

Abstract

Study design: A cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To investigate the correlation between simple muscle strength tests (including handgrip test and upper limb loading during a seated push-up test [ULL-SPUT]) and body compositions among individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Setting: A tertiary rehabilitation center.

Methods: Twenty-four participants with SCI (average age of 40 years) were cross-sectionally assessed using handgrip test, ULL-SPUT, and body compositions (including skeletal muscle mass, bone mineral content, and fat mass) using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan.

Results: The handgrip data had low-to-moderate correlation to body compositions of the arms (r_s = 0.474-0.515, p < 0.05), while the ULL-SPUT data were low-to-excellently correlated to all body compositions of the arms, legs, and trunk (r_s, r = 0.467-0.921, p < 0.05).

Conclusions: The findings extend clinical benefit of a SPUT apart from being a rehabilitation strategy to promote mobility of individuals with SCI. Simple measurement of the ULL-SPUT, which can be done using digital bathroom scales placed on a hard and even surface, appears to be strongly correlated with body compositions in a small sample of predominantly middle age, normal weight, men with paraplegia. More research is required to understand whether this test can be used clinically to assess body compositions in a more diverse SCI population, and whether it is responsive to changes in body compositions over time.