Measurement of thumb abduction strength: normative data and a comparison with grip and pinch strength.

Abduction strength of the thumb was measured in normal men (n = 101; age range, 21-94 years) and women (n = 208; age range, 20-97 years). Abduction-strength measurements were conducted concurrently with grip and pinch strength measurements made by well-established clinical methods. Normal values were established and stratified by age and sex. Thumb abduction strength generally correlated with grip and pinch strength. All strength variables at all ages were greater in men than in women. The magnitude of all strength variables was maintained from 20 to 59 years of age, then decreased with increasing age in both men and women. Measurement of thumb abduction strength may prove to be a useful adjunct to the various tests currently used by hand surgeons to assess hand function.