Age- and gender-stratified adult myometric reference values of isometric intrinsic hand strength.
Corey McGee, Amanda Hoehn, Christopher Hoenshell and 3 others
PMID 31010702WHAT IT FOUND
Adults aged 21 and older showed different intrinsic hand strength by age, gender and body mass index.
Strength usually peaked in the 30s and 40s, then declined. These values can help compare a patient's hand strength to similar peers.
Key findings
01In adults aged 21 and older, intrinsic hand strength generally peaked in the 30s and 40s and then declined with age.
02Age, gender, body mass index, and the combined effect of body mass index with male gender predicted all measures of intrinsic strength.
03The models accounted for between 60 and 63% of the variation in intrinsic strength.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample was recruited by convenience sampling in the Midwestern United States, so it may not represent other populations. The sample was more female than the local population (58% versus 50%) and more white than the local population (92% versus 85%). Recruiting younger adults was challenging. Height, weight, and medical history were self-reported. The study did not collect vocational or avocational data. The paper did not test whether intrinsic strength predicts functional performance. Some RIHM movements may not isolate a single muscle. People with conditions affecting the tested hand were generally excluded.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and publication.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these reference values as a diagnosis of weakness or as proof that a low score will impair daily function. The study established age and gender stratified values and predictors, but it did not test clinical populations or show that intrinsic strength predicts functional performance.