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Normative values for hand grip and pinch strength for 6 to 18 year-olds in Saudi Arabia
Bader A Alqahtani1, Aqeel M Alenazi2, Ragab K Elnaggar2,3
1Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, 11942, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. dralqahtaniba@gmail.com.
Insights
This study established hand grip and pinch strength norms for Saudi children aged 6-18. Grip strength increases with age, with boys showing higher strength than girls.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric physical assessment
- Musculoskeletal development
- Normative data collection
Background:
- Establishing normative hand grip and pinch strength values for Saudi children (6-18 years) is crucial.
- Existing data for this demographic in Saudi Arabia is limited.
- This study addresses the need for localized, age-specific strength benchmarks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine normative values for hand grip and pinch strength in Saudi children and adolescents.
- To provide a reference standard for assessing hand strength in this population.
- To investigate the influence of age and gender on hand strength.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study across 5 Saudi regions.
- Recruited 616 children and adolescents (6-18 years) from schools.
- Measured hand grip strength (digital dynamometer) and pinch strength (hydraulic pinch gauge).
Main Results:
- Hand grip and pinch strength generally increased with age in both genders.
- Boys exhibited significantly higher grip strength than girls across all age groups.
- Age and gender were identified as significant factors influencing hand strength.
Conclusions:
- Successfully established normative hand grip and pinch strength values for Saudi pediatric and adolescent populations.
- Findings highlight the impact of age, gender, and hand preference on hand strength development.
- Provides essential data for clinical and research applications in Saudi Arabia.
Background:
Normative values for hand grip and pinch strength among children in Saudi Arabia has not been well established. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to establish normative values for hand grip and pinch strength in children aged 6 to 18 years in Saudi Arabia.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted from different 5 regions in Saudi Arabia. Participants between the age of 6 years and 18 years old were recruited through different primary and secondary schools in Saudi Arabia. Data for age, gender, Body Mass Index, and preferred hand were collected. Hand grip strength was measured using digital hand dynamometer and the tip pinch, palmar pinch, and key pinch strength were measured using the hydraulic pinch gauge.
Results:
A total of 616 participants included in this study (318 boys and 298 girls). Participants were stratified into 5 chronological age groups of 6-7 years, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15, 16-17, and 18 years. The results showed an overall trend of increasing hand grip strength and pinch strength with age regardless of hand preference. Boys had significantly higher grip strength than girls in all age groups (P < 0.05).
Conclusion:
This study established normative values for hand grip and pinch strength in the healthy Saudi pediatric and adolescent population, using boys and girls aged 6 to 18. The outcomes of this study also demonstrated that gender, age, and hand preference can all have an impact on how strong a handgrip develops.
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