Measurement of Handgrip Strength of North Indian Male Farmers and Its Implications in Design of Farm Equipment

As a systematic ergonomics improvement process has always been prevailing in mankind to maximize the human performance within its body’s capabilities and limitations, by providing it a safe workplace and equipment. In addition to this custom, a scrutinized effort is made to associate worker's strength with the force/torque required to operate the tool/equipment in agrarian society of Haryana state (i.e. northern part of India). Therefore, an isometric hand grip strength for both hands (dominant and other one) base data of 200 male agricultural workers (age 18-60 years) from five districts has been measured with baseline handgrip dynamometer. However 20-50 years age group are found actively involved in arduous agricultural activities. On summarizing the Statistical information for the age group 20-50 years (173 subjects) such as mean, standard deviation (SD), skewness, kurtosis, 5th and 95th percentiles it has been observed that Dominant handgrip strength (46.14±7.13 kg) is significantly different (p<0.05) from the opposite handgrip strength (44.50±7.48 kg). Further study also reveals that the strength of handgrip declines significantly (p<0.05) with the increasing age.