Provisional norm and age group differences of controlled force exertion measurements by a computing sinusoidal target-pursuit system in Japanese male adults

This study aimed to examine age group and individual differences of the controlled force exertion test by sinusoidal waveforms and to propose a provisional norm in 207 male adults who were right-handed and aged 15 to 86 years (mean = 42.1±19.8 yrs). The subjects matched their submaximal grip strength to changing demand values, appearing with a sinusoidal waveform on the display of a personal computer. The subjects performed the controlled force exertion test three times with 1-min intervals (one trial lasted 40 s), after one practice trial using the dominant hand. A total of the differences between the demand value and the grip exertion value for 25 s was used as an evaluation parameter. The measurements showed a right-skewed distribution without a normal distribution. They showed a normal distribution after logarithmic transformation (W=0.09, p>0.05). The result of the analysis of variance showed significant differences in the means of each age group (F=16.43, p