Normative data for hand grip strength and key pinch strength, stratified by age and gender for a multiethnic Asian population.

Ngee Wei Lam; Hui Ting Goh; Shahrul Bahyah Kamaruzzaman; Ai-vyrn Chin; Philip Jun Hua Poi; Maw Pin Tan

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Normative data for hand grip strength and key pinch strength, stratified by age and gender for a multiethnic Asian population.

Author: Ngee Wei LAM ¹ ; Hui Ting GOH ² ; Shahrul Bahyah KAMARUZZAMAN ³ ; Ai-Vyrn CHIN ⁴ ; Philip Jun Hua POI ³ ; Maw Pin TAN ³
Author Information

1. Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Malaysia.
2. School of Physical Therapy, Texas Woman's University, Dallas, Texas, USA.
3. Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Malaya, Malaysia.
4. Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Malaysia.
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: aged; frailty; functional impairment; hand strength
MeSH: Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anthropometry; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; Female; Hand; physiology; Hand Strength; Healthy Volunteers; Humans; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Pinch Strength; Reference Values; Sex Factors
From:Singapore medical journal 2016;57(10):578-584
CountrySingapore
Language:English
Abstract:
INTRODUCTIONHand strength is a good indicator of physical fitness and frailty among the elderly. However, there are no published hand strength references for Malaysians aged > 65 years. This study aimed to establish normative data for hand grip strength (HGS) and key pinch strength (KPS) for Malaysians aged ≥ 60 years, and explore the relationship between hand strength and physical ability.
METHODSHealthy participants aged ≥ 60 years with no neurological conditions were recruited from rural and urban locations in Malaysia. HGS and KPS were measured using hand grip and key pinch dynamometers. Basic demographic data, anthropometric measures, modified Barthel Index scores and results of the Functional Reach Test (FRT), Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test (JTHFT) were recorded.
RESULTS362 subjects aged 60-93 years were recruited. The men were significantly stronger than the women in both HGS and KPS (p < 0.001). The hand strength of the study cohort was lower than that of elderly Western populations. Significant correlations were observed between hand strength, and residential area (p < 0.001), FRT (r = 0.236, p = 0.028), TUG (r = -0.227, p = 0.009) and JTHFT (r = -0.927, p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONThis study established reference ranges for the HGS and KPS of rural and urban elderly Malaysian subpopulations. These will aid the use of hand strength as a screening tool for frailty among elderly persons in Malaysia. Future studies are required to determine the modifiable factors for poor hand strength.