Handgrip strength: Normative data for North Indian elderly population

Abstract

Background: In elderly population, men who maintain high handgrip strength though have slight possibility for disability and joint impairment and they are likely to survive for long time as compared to those with poor handgrip strength. One of the main difficulties in evaluating the handgrip strength of Indian elderly people is the absence of valid norms for Indian population. The objective of the study is to develop normative data for maximum handgrip strength of persons aged 41 to 80 years and to determine the significance of handgrip strength evaluation in Geriatric Rehabilitation practice in evaluating and finding physical disability.

Methods: In the present study, 1640 elderly individuals (929 male and 711 female) aged 41 - 80 years were purposively selected. Parameters measured were dominant handgrip strength, non-dominant handgrip strength, height, weight, body mass index, hand length and hand breadth.

Results: In both males and females of all the age groups positively significant correlations (p<0.014 - 0.001) of dominant handgrip strength were found with all the anthropometric variables. With aging, there were continuous decrements in mean values of most of the parameters in elderly males and females. In most of the dimensions examined, the data showed higher mean values in elderly males than their female correspondents.

Conclusions: The present study contributes a broad pattern of normative data for practical purpose in hand and upper limb rehabilitation for elderly population, along with desirable evaluation for additional health problems.