Establishing Normative Reference Values for Handgrip Among Hungarian Youth

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health
• Human Physiology
• Biostatistics

Background:

• Handgrip strength is a key indicator of overall muscle function and health.
• Understanding age- and sex-specific variations is crucial for accurate assessment in adolescents.
• Establishing population-specific reference values aids in identifying normal development and potential health concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate age- and sex-related differences in handgrip strength among Hungarian youth.
• To establish normative reference values for handgrip strength in this population.
• To provide a tool for interpreting handgrip assessment scores in school-aged children in Hungary.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 1,086 Hungarian youth (11-18 years old).
• Handgrip strength was measured using a handheld dynamometer.
• Quantile regression analysis was employed to generate age- and sex-specific centiles, with statistical significance set at p < .05.

Main Results:

• Significant age-related patterns in handgrip strength were observed in both boys and girls, with linear and quadratic age terms being significant.
• The 50th percentile (median) handgrip strength for boys aged 11-18 ranged from 21.4 kg to 42.6 kg.
• The 50th percentile (median) handgrip strength for girls aged 11-18 ranged from 19.5 kg to 29.2 kg.

Conclusions:

• Handgrip strength exhibits distinct developmental trajectories in boys and girls during adolescence.
• The study successfully generated age- and sex-specific reference values for Hungarian youth.
• These norm-referenced values can be utilized for the clinical and educational assessment of handgrip strength in children and adolescents.