Force-endurance relationship: does it matter if gloves are donned?

The human hand is a very useful multipurpose tool in all environments. However, performance capabilities are compromised considerably when gloves are donned. This is especially true for extra-vehicular activity (EVA) gloves used in a space environment. The primary aim of this study was to establish exertion and endurance limits for specific tasks. The objective of this study was to develop grip force endurance relations. Six subjects participated in a factorial experiment involving three hand conditions, three pressure differentials, and four levels of force exertion. The results indicate that while the force that could be exerted depended on the glove, pressure differential, and the level of exertion, the endurance time at any exertion level depended just on the level of exertion expressed as a percentage of maximum exertion possible at that condition. The impact of these findings for practitioners as well as theoreticians is discussed.