Abstract

   Grip strength is integral to sports performance. There is a relationship between sports and hand strength, however the type of hand strength is specific to the techniques involved in the involved sport. Swimmers use their entire hand to propel themselves through the water forcefully, whereas tennis players grip a tennis racket with their fingers based on placement to allow for a solid racket grip. The study included 18 male and 22 female swimmers, 8 male and 11 female tennis players ages 18-22 attending Carthage College.  Athletes were tested for crushing grip strength, pinch strength and their weight. The instruments that were used were a hand dynamometer, pinch gauge, and a scale. Being that tennis players incorporate their thumb in racket grip, it is expected that they will have higher pinch grip strength. Whereas swimmers, propel themselves through the water with aggressive arm strength, insisting that they will have an increased crushing grip.