Article
Relationship between age and handgrip strength: proposal of reference values from infancy to senescence
Autor
Gómez-Campos, Rossana
Vidal-Espinoza, Rubén
De Arruda, Miguel
Vaz Ronque, Enio Ricardo
Urra-Albornoz, Camilo
Minango, Juan Carlos
Alvear Vásquez, Fernando
De la Torre Choque, Christian
Castelli Correia de Campos, F.
Sulla-Torres, José
Cossio-Bolaños, Marco Antonio
Institución
Resumen
Introduction: Measurement of hand grip strength (HGS) has been proposed as a key
component of frailty and has also been suggested as a central biomarker of healthy
aging and a powerful predictor of future morbidity and mortality.
Objectives: (a) To determine whether a nonlinear relationship model could improve
the prediction of handgrip strength (HGS) compared to the linear model and (b)
to propose percentiles to evaluate HGS according to age and sex for a regional
population of Chile from infancy to senescence.
Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was developed in a representative
sample of the Maule region (Chile). The volunteers amounted to 5,376 participants
(2,840 men and 2,536 women), with an age range from 6 to 80 years old. Weight,
height, HGS (right and left hand) according to age and sex were evaluated. Percentiles
were calculated using the LMS method [(L (Lambda; asymmetry), M (Mu; median), and
S (Sigma; coe cient of variation)].
Results and discussion: There were no dierences in HGS from 6 to 11 years of
age in both sexes; however, from 12 years of age onwards, males presented higher
HGS values in both hands (p < 0.05). The linear regression between age with HGS
showed values of R 2 = 0.07 in males and R
2 = 0.02 in females. While in the nonlinear model (cubic), the values were: R 2 = 0.50 to 0.51 in men and R
2 = 0.26 in women. The percentiles constructed by age and sex were: P5, P15, P50, P85, and P95
by age range and sex. This study demonstrated that there is a nonlinear relationship
between chronological age with HGS from infancy to senescence. Furthermore, the
proposed percentiles can serve as a guide to assess and monitor upper extremity muscle strength levels at all stages of life.