When is a change a genuine change? A clinically meaningful interpretation of grip strength measurements in healthy and disabled women.

The aim of this study was twofold: 1) to use estimates of random and systematic error to ascertain the test-retest reliability of grip strength measurements obtained with the Jamar hand dynamometer in healthy and disabled women, and 2) to determine the size of the change required to detect a genuine change in grip strength for accurate and meaningful clinical interpretation. Previous research has shown grip strength measurements obtained with a Jamar hand dynamometer from healthy and disabled subjects on different occasions to be reliable. However, the test-retest reliability has been based on correlation coefficients rather than on the actual size of the test-retest differences required to detect a genuine change in grip.

Outcome of conservative and surgical management of navicular stress fracture in athletes. Eighty-six cases proven with computerized tomography.

Eighty-two athletes with 86 clinical navicular stress fractures, all imaged with computerized tomography, were followed for an average of 33 months (range, 6 to 108) after diagnosis. Initial treatment consisted of at least 6 weeks of nonweightbearing cast immobilization for 22 fractures, at least 6 weeks of limitation of activity with continued weightbearing for 34 fractures, and a period of less than 6 weeks of conservative treatment for another 19 fractures. Five patients attempted to continue playing sports.

Compensated back injury in New Zealand.

Back injury is one of the commonest claims for accident compensation. A survey carried out over three months in 1984 identified 420 claimants having details of their accidents. Labourers, freezing workers, coal miners and railway workers were at high risk.