What are the hand grip strength cut-off values to diagnose sarcopenia in healthy women and men by age group?

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From the Research

Hand grip strength cut-off values for diagnosing sarcopenia vary by age and gender, with thresholds of <16 kg for women aged 18-39, <16 kg for women aged 40-59, and <15 kg for women aged 60+, and <27 kg for men aged 18-39, <26 kg for men aged 40-59, and <16 kg for men aged 60+. These measurements should be taken using a calibrated dynamometer with the patient seated, elbow flexed at 90 degrees, and the forearm in a neutral position 1. Take three measurements from each hand and use the highest value. When performing the assessment, instruct patients to squeeze the dynamometer as hard as possible for 3-5 seconds.

Key Considerations

  • The diagnosis of sarcopenia typically requires combining grip strength measurements with other assessments like appendicular skeletal muscle mass and physical performance tests such as gait speed or chair stand tests for a comprehensive evaluation 2.
  • Resistance training is an effective treatment to improve body fat mass, muscle strength, and muscle performance in healthy older people with sarcopenia 3.
  • The effects of resistance training on measures of body composition, muscle strength, and muscle performance in older people with sarcopenia have been analyzed in a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials 3.

Measurement and Interpretation

  • Handgrip strength is associated with several chronic diseases, cognitive decline, length of hospital-stay, and mortality 1.
  • The measurement of handgrip strength is widely used in clinical practice as well as in research, and its accurate measurement and interpretation are becoming more crucial 1.
  • The current reference values of handgrip strength for sarcopenia research have been described in a review, which also discusses the updates on the relationship between handgrip strength and bone mineral density and osteoporotic fractures 1.

References

3
Research

Effects of resistance training in healthy older people with sarcopenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

European review of aging and physical activity : official journal of the European Group for Research into Elderly and Physical Activity, 2021

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