Effect of longstanding Diabetes Mellitus II on handgrip strength: An observational study

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic condition characterized by persistent hyperglycemia, with resultant morbidity and mortality. Muscle weakness has been associated with type-II diabetes, even among subjects with high body mass indices. There is decremental effect of DM-II on skeletal muscles. Objective: The study was aimed to find the effect of longstanding DM-II on hand grip strength. Material and methods: 25 subjects with DM-II diagnosed since more than 6 years aged between 35-75 years (60.96±7.6) (Group A), with mean diabetic duration of 13.25±8.5 years and independent in their ADL were compared with 25 healthy non diabetic subjects (55.00±9.93) (Group B) for their hand grip strength of dominant hand using hand held dynamometer. Subjects with any upper limb amputation or with cervical spondylosis, cervical pott’s disease, 1 degree metastatic tumor or fracture or dislocation of cervical vertebra, Thoracic outlet syndrome, Peripheral nerve injury, cervical neurofibromatosis and cervical radiculopathy in previous 6 months before commencement of study were excluded. Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test was used for within group analysis and Mann-Whitney ‘U’ Test was used for between group analyses. Results: For group A, W=-3.009, p=0.003 and for Group B, W= -3.909, p=0.0001. The U value for between group analysis is U=87.00, p=0.001. Conclusion: Grip strength was significantly reduced in diabetic individuals as compared to non-diabetic individuals. There is also significant difference in dominant and non-dominant hand grip strength in diabetic group and non diabetic group.