Objective: To compare the influence of gender on hand muscle fatigue phenomenon among medical students of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro.
Methodology: This cross sectional comparative study was done at Physiology Department, LUMHS, Jamshoro from November 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015 and included students of 1st semester of 1st year MBBS (50 girls and 50 boys). Students other than 1st semester of first year were excluded. Data were collected by asking them to hold the hand dynamometer (Grip force transducer) in the dominant (right or left) hand. Graphical data was obtained on Power Lab, (T-125 AD-Instruments, Australia) and saved. Time taken to muscle fatigue was noted.
Results: Males had average maximum sustained period of contraction of 5.2 minutes before muscle fatigue and in females it was 2.2 minutes, after that muscle fatigue developed.
Conclusion: Male medical students had a longer period of muscle contraction as compared to female students of same age, before the development of muscle fatigue.
Key words: Gender, muscles, young adults, sustained muscle contraction.
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