OBJECTIVE: To present the normative hand grip strength values measured with a bulb dynamometer for children, by gender and age, and to correlate the findings with weight, height, body composition and handedness. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Data from 295 healthy children of both genders aged 6 to 13 years were analysed. METHODS: Weight, height, body composition (Biodynamics model 450 bioimpedance analyser), handedness (Edinburgh scale) and grip strength measured with a bulb dynamometer (North Coast) were obtained. RESULTS: Grip strength of both hands increased with age in the two genders. Grip strength was similar in boys and girls between 6 and 13 years of age. The dominant hand was stronger than the non-dominant hand [mean (standard deviation) 7.0 (2.3)psi vs 6.5 (2.1)psi], with a mean difference of 0.52psi (95% confidence interval of the difference 0.46 to 0.58). Grip strength was positively correlated with fat-free mass and height (r≥0.75). CONCLUSION: This study provides normative values for hand grip strength measured with a bulb dynamometer in children aged 6 to 13 years. This dynamometer provides a simple method to measure grip strength, and the results of this study provide further evidence of its performance in the measurement of grip strength.
OBJECTIVE: To present the normative hand grip strength values measured with a bulb dynamometer for children, by gender and age, and to correlate the findings with weight, height, body composition and handedness. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Data from 295 healthy children of both genders aged 6 to 13 years were analysed. METHODS: Weight, height, body composition (Biodynamics model 450 bioimpedance analyser), handedness (Edinburgh scale) and grip strength measured with a bulb dynamometer (North Coast) were obtained. RESULTS: Grip strength of both hands increased with age in the two genders. Grip strength was similar in boys and girls between 6 and 13 years of age. The dominant hand was stronger than the non-dominant hand [mean (standard deviation) 7.0 (2.3)psi vs 6.5 (2.1)psi], with a mean difference of 0.52psi (95% confidence interval of the difference 0.46 to 0.58). Grip strength was positively correlated with fat-free mass and height (r≥0.75). CONCLUSION: This study provides normative values for hand grip strength measured with a bulb dynamometer in children aged 6 to 13 years. This dynamometer provides a simple method to measure grip strength, and the results of this study provide further evidence of its performance in the measurement of grip strength.
Authors: Jakub S Gąsior; Mariusz Pawłowski; Piotr J Jeleń; Eugene A Rameckers; Craig A Williams; Robert Makuch; Bożena Werner Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-10-31 Impact factor: 3.390