Association between hand muscle thickness and whole-body skeletal muscle mass in healthy adults: a pilot study

• Published in: Journal of Physical Therapy Science Vol. 29; no. 9; pp. 1644 - 1648
• Main Authors: Morimoto, Akio, Suga, Tadashi, Tottori, Nobuaki, Wachi, Michio, Misaki, Jun, Tsuchikane, Ryo, Isaka, Tadao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: Japan The Society of Physical Therapy Science 2017
• Subjects: Forearm muscle thickness; Handgrip strength; Original; Ultrasonography; Forearm muscle thickness; Ultrasonography; Handgrip strength
• ISSN: 0915-5287; 2187-5626
• DOI: 10.1589/jpts.29.1644

[Purpose] Handgrip strength is a surrogate indicator for assessing disease-related and age-related skeletal muscle loss. Clinical utility as such a surrogate can be at least partially explained by the close relationship between handgrip strength and whole-body skeletal muscle mass. The handgrip strength is related to hand muscle size. Thus, the present study examined whether hand muscle thickness is associated with whole-body skeletal muscle mass. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty healthy male adults participated in this study. All subjects were right-hand dominant. Two muscle thicknesses (lumbrical and interosseous muscles) in the right hand were measured using ultrasonography. Whole-body and appendicular skeletal muscle masses were assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. [Results] Although lumbrical muscle thickness was not correlated with whole-body skeletal muscle mass, there was a significant correlation with appendicular skeletal muscle mass. Furthermore, interosseous muscle thickness was significantly correlated with both whole-body and appendicular skeletal muscle masses. [Conclusion] The present findings suggest that two muscle thicknesses in the hand are related to whole-body and/or appendicular skeletal muscle mass in healthy adults. Therefore, we propose that despite being smaller than other limb muscles, hand muscle thickness may be useful as surrogate indicator for assessing disease-related and age-related skeletal muscle loss.