The Effect of the Duration of Intertrial Rest Periods on Isometric Grip Strength Performance in Young Adults

This study examined the effect of the duration of intertrial rest periods on isometric grip strength scores in successive trials with the use of the power grip attachment of the Baltimore Therapeutic Equipment work simulator. Male and female subjects, 19 to 41 years of age, were randomly assigned to one of three groups, categorized by 15-, 30-, or 60-sec rest periods between five consecutive isometric grip tests. No significant differences were found between the groups in the pattern of decline in torque across trials. However, the group with the longest intertrial rest period had a significantly smaller percentage of decline in torque from the first to the last trial and the highest intraclass correlation coefficient between the five trials for both hands. In addition, the same group of subjects demonstrated significantly smaller differences in torque from the first to the second pretrial, which had a 2-min rest period, than from the first to the second experimental trial, which had shorter intertrial rest periods of 15, 30, or 60 sec.