Handgrip Strength Test

The purpose of this test is to measure grip or forearm muscle strength. Handgrip strength is important for any sport in which the hands are used for catching, throwing or lifting. Also, as a general rule people with strong hands tend to be strong elsewhere.

equipment required: handgrip dynamometer

description / procedure: The subject to be tested holds the dynamometer in the hand to be tested, with the arm at right angles and the elbow by the side of the body. The handle of the dynamometer is adjusted if required. The base should rest on first metacarpal (heel of palm), while the handle should rest on middle of four fingers. The subject squeezes the dynamometer with maximum isometric effort, which is maintained for about 5 seconds. No other body movement is allowed.

variations: The position of the hand can vary. Various positions include the elbow being held at right angles as per the above procedure, the arm hanging by the side, and the extended arm being swung from above the head to by the side. The Eurofit Test Manual recommends squeezing for 3 seconds.

scoring: The best of two trials for each hand is recorded, with at least 15 seconds recovery between each effort. The values listed below (in kilograms) give a guide to expected scores for adults. They are the average of the best scores of each hand. Other protocols will just use the score from the dominant hand. There are also examples of some actual athlete results.

rating*	males (kg)	females (kg)
excellent	> 64	> 38
very good	56-64	34-38
above average	52-56	30-34
average	48-52	26-30
below average	44-48	22-26
poor	40-44	20-22
very poor	< 40	< 20

* source and population group unknown

validity: The validity of this test as a measure of general strength has been questioned, as the strength of the forearm muscles does not necessarily represent the strength of other muscle groups.

advantages: This is a simple and commonly used test of general strength level.

disadvantages: The dynamometer must be adjusted for hand size, how successfully this is done will affect the accuracy of the measurement.

comments: It is also useful to record whether the athlete is left or right handed, as this may help in the interpretation of results. The non-dominant hand usually scores about 10% lower. The forearm muscles are easily fatigued, so the best scores are usually achieved in the first or second trial.