Determinant Factors of Intraocular Pressure Responses to a Maximal Isometric Handgrip Test: Hand Dominance, Handgrip Strength and Sex

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To assess the mediating role of strength levels, hand dominance and participants´ sex on the intraocular pressure (IOP) behaviour during the execution of a maximal isometric handgrip test.

Methods

One hundred and seventy-six sport science students (102 men and 74 women) performed a maximal isometric handgrip test with the dominant and non-dominant hands. A rebound tonometer was used to measure IOP before effort, during effort, and immediately after performing the handgrip test. Men and women were divided based on their handgrip strength in low- and high-strength groups using a median split analysis.

Results

There was an acute IOP rise during effort, returning to baseline levels immediately after exercise cessation (P < .001, η_p² = 0.79). A greater increase in IOP during the execution of the handgrip test was observed for the dominant-hand compared to the non-dominant hand (P = .004, d = 0.30) and for men compared to women (P = .001, d = 0.90). The main effect of strength level did not reach statistical significance (P = .266).

Conclusions

The IOP rise associated with a maximal isometric handgrip effort is affected by the participants´ sex (men > women) and hand dominance (dominant hand > non-dominant hand), but not on strength levels. These findings need to be corroborated in glaucoma patients.

KEYWORDS:

• Ocular physiology
• handgrip strength
• resistance training
• ocular health
• glaucoma management

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest and have no proprietary interest in any of the materials mentioned in this article.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.