Prediction of Muscle Strength Using Length and Width of the Bone

Abstract

Eighteen healthy women (mean ± standard deviation, 20.6 ± 0.9 years old) were examined to determine the possibility of predicting muscle strength from the length and width of the bones. Estimating muscle strength by the variable reduction method of multiple regression analysis, a multiple correlation coefficient of 0.90 (p<0.01) was obtained for grip strength in relation to three independent variables of height, distance between the medial and lateral epicondyle of the humerus, and distance between the medial malleolus of the tibia and lateral malleolus of the fibula. A multiple correlation coefficient of 0.84 (p<0.01) was obtained for knee joint extension muscle strength in relation to three independent factors of distance between the medial and lateral epicondyle of the femur, distance between the medial malleolus of tibia and lateral malleolus of the fibula, and distance between the styloid process of the ulna and radius. Individual grip strength and the isometric knee extension muscle strength could be predicted from the length and width of bones in the present study.