ArticlePloS one2016
Strong or Weak Handgrip? Normative Reference Values for the German Population across the Life Course Stratified by Sex, Age, and Body Height.
Article in PloS one, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 95 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
95 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 173 citations in OpenAlex.
- International norms for adult handgrip strength: A systematic review of data on 2.4 million adults aged 20 to 100+ years from 69 countries and regions.Journal of sport and health science · 2025Pooled it
- Trial
- Evaluating repeated handgrip strength measurements as predictors of mortality in malnourished hospitalized patients. Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.European journal of clinical nutrition · 2025Trial
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- [Impact of osteoporosis on physical performance parameters of middle-aged and elderly individuals-a cross-sectional study].Orthopadie (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2023Trial
- Impact of Different Isokinetic Movement Patterns on Shoulder Rehabilitation Outcome.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Trial
- Non-pharmacological treatment gap preceding surgical consultation in thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis - a cross-sectional study.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2019Trial
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- Associations of Midlife Gait Speed and Muscle Performance With Falls in Later Life: Secondary Analysis of the MIDUS Cohort.JMIR aging · 2026Article
- Handgrip strength in young recreational skiers: Is it related to the risk of falling?European journal of translational myology · 2026Article
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- Are there reliable primary indicators of cardiorespiratory fitness in physically active students?International journal of cardiology. Cardiovascular risk and prevention · 2026Article
- Sarcopenia Risk is Associated With Decreased Swallow Safety in Patients With Dysphagia.Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery · 2026Article
- Normative data and standardized scores for sarcopenia indicators in middle-aged and older adults: a large screening-based cohort study.Osteoporosis and sarcopenia · 2026Article
- The STS test and its correlation with common clinical indicators for an Argentinian population sample.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Effects of individualized blood flow restriction during brief twice-weekly low-load cycling on mobility and muscle function in adults older than 70 years.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2026Article
- Regulatory classifications of handgrip strength in children and adolescents living in a moderate altitude region of Peru.BMC pediatrics · 2025Article
35 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
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Authors and funding
1 author at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Handgrip strength is an important biomarker of healthy ageing and a powerful predictor of future morbidity and mortality both in younger and older populations. Therefore, the measurement of handgrip strength is increasingly used as a simple but efficient screening tool for health vulnerability. This study presents normative reference values for handgrip strength in Germany for use in research and clinical practice. It is the first study to provide normative data across the life course that is stratified by sex, age, and body height. The study used a nationally representative sample of test participants ages 17-90. It was based on pooled data from five waves of the German Socio-Economic Panel (2006-2014) and involved a total of 11,790 persons living in Germany (providing 25,285 observations). Handgrip strength was measured with a Smedley dynamometer. Results showed that peak mean values of handgrip strength are reached in men's and women's 30s and 40s after which handgrip strength declines in linear fashion with age. Following published recommendations, the study used a cut-off at 2 SD below the sex-specific peak mean value across the life course to define a 'weak grip'. Less than 10% of women and men aged 65-69 were classified as weak according to this definition, shares increasing to about half of the population aged 80-90. Based on survival analysis that linked handgrip strength to a relevant outcome, however, a 'critically weak grip' that warrants further examination was estimated to commence already at 1 SD below the group-specific mean value.
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