Reference values and determinants for handgrip strength in healthy subjects

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Human Physiology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Establishing normative data for physiological measurements is crucial for clinical assessment.
• Handgrip strength (HS) is a key indicator of overall muscular function and health.
• Factors influencing HS require detailed investigation for accurate interpretation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish reference values for handgrip strength in healthy adults.
• To identify factors associated with variations in handgrip strength.
• To explore the utility of adductor pollicis muscle thickness in conjunction with HS.

Main Methods:

• Studied 300 well-nourished adults aged 18-90 years.
• Measured handgrip strength (HS) using a hand dynamometer.
• Assessed adductor pollicis muscle (APM) thickness and other anthropometric variables.
• Utilized multiple linear regression to identify HS determinants.

Main Results:

• HS is significantly associated with gender and declines after age 60 (p<0.001).
• Reference values are provided stratified by gender and age for dominant and non-dominant hands.
• APM thickness showed a strong correlation with HS (R²=0.71-0.70), remaining significant after adjustments.

Conclusions:

• Reference values for HS, stratified by gender and age, are essential for its use as a muscular function assessment tool.
• The combination of HS and APM may serve as a valuable method for nutritional assessment.
• These findings support the clinical utility of HS and APM in evaluating muscle health and nutritional status.