Abstract
Wang C-Y, Chen L-Y. Grip strength in older adults: test-retest reliability and cutoff
for subjective weakness of using the hands in heavy tasks.
Objective
To examine the test-retest reliability of grip strength when using the mean value,
the best value, and the first value of 2 grip strength measurements and to determine
the cutoff value for separating those who were able or unable to perform a heavy task
with their hands in a group of Taiwanese adults.
Design
Cross-sectional test-retest study.
Setting
Local community centers.
Participants
Community-dwelling older adults (N=469; age, ≥60y).
Interventions
Not applicable.
Main Outcome Measures
Self-reported measure of ability to perform heavy tasks with their hands and grip
strength.
Results
The test-retest reliability of grip strength in older adults was good (intraclass
correlation coefficient ≥.85) when using the mean value, the best value, or the first
of 2 measurements. Optimum cutoff values were 28.5 and 18.5kg, and values with 75%
sensitivity were 34 and 22kg for men and women, respectively.
Conclusions
The test-retest reliability of grip-strength measurement in a group of Taiwanese older
adults was acceptable when the best value, the mean value, or the first of 2 measurements
was used. The reported mean and cutoff values for grip strength also could serve as
reference values for the public to monitor their grip strength performance and identify
those at risk for early intervention.
Key Words
List of Abbreviations:
ANOVA (analysis of variance), AUC (area under the curve), BMI (body mass index), CI (confidence interval), ICC (intraclass correlation coefficient), ICC2,1 (ICC using a single rating (either the best or the first of the 2 measures)), ICC2,2 (ICC using the mean rating (mean of 2 measures)), ROC (receiver operation characteristic), SEM (standard error of the measurement)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Footnotes
Supported by the National Science Council of Taiwan (grant nos. NSC 94-2314-B-277-004, NSC97-2314-B-040-005).
No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit on the authors or on any organization with which the authors are associated.
Identification
Copyright
© 2010 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
