Grip strength analyzer apparatus and method of using same

Abstract

An otherwise conventional Jamar dynamometer is provided with a force transducer. The analog output of the force transducer is sampled at regular intervals and converted to a sequence of digital values by a conventional analog-to-digital converter. The digital output of the converter is processed by a conventional computer in real time to produce an output that clearly indicates the maximum force exerted by the subject and whether or not the subject was sincerely attempting to exert a maximum force while the test was in process. Preferably the output comprises both a graphic display of the forces exerted by the subject over a predetermined interval of time and a statistical analysis of those forces. The output data includes calculated discriminator variables which indicate with a high statistical accuracy whether the subject was sincerely exerting a maximal force on the dynamometer when instructed to do so. In an exemplary embodiment, the computer is a MS.TM. DOS compatible microcomputer and the analog-to-digital converter is a conventional accessory device that is adapted to be mounted in an expansion slot of such a microcomputer.