Handgrip Strength as an Indicator of Overall Strength and Functional Performance—Systematic Review

Reduced muscle strength can affect daily activities, so monitoring is essential. Methods such as isokinetic dynamometers assess maximum muscle force, while hand dynamometers measure hand grip strength. Research has investigated hand grip strength as a predictor of upper, lower and total strength, bu...

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Main Authors: Piotr Szaflik, Hanna Zadoń, Robert Michnik, Katarzyna Nowakowska-Lipiec
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Applied Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/4/1847
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author Piotr Szaflik
Hanna Zadoń
Robert Michnik
Katarzyna Nowakowska-Lipiec
author_facet Piotr Szaflik
Hanna Zadoń
Robert Michnik
Katarzyna Nowakowska-Lipiec
author_sort Piotr Szaflik
collection DOAJ
description Reduced muscle strength can affect daily activities, so monitoring is essential. Methods such as isokinetic dynamometers assess maximum muscle force, while hand dynamometers measure hand grip strength. Research has investigated hand grip strength as a predictor of upper, lower and total strength, but the results remain unsystematic. The aim of this study was to systematize the current state of knowledge to test whether hand grip strength can be used as an indicator of overall strength and functional performance. A review of studies from 2000 to 2023 was conducted using: ScienceDirect, PubMed and GoogleScholar. The focus was on articles that examined the relationship between hand grip strength and muscle torque. The following keywords, entered in different configurations, were used in the search: ’hand grip’, ’muscle strength’, ’correlation’ and ’association’. A total of 22 studies were selected for analysis, involving 752 healthy adults, 30 physically active people, 120 ill adults, 2965 older people and 112 ill older people. The analysis looked at associations between hand grip strength and muscle moments of the trunk, limbs and knee joint. The results from the literature indicate that the value of the correlation between hand grip strength and muscle torque varies (from low to high) depending on the test method or group. Therefore, caution should be exercised when using hand grip strength as the sole measure of overall strength and functional performance.
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spelling doaj-art-db0bb4d1439e44fcbc428d68065baa922025-08-20T02:44:43ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-02-01154184710.3390/app15041847Handgrip Strength as an Indicator of Overall Strength and Functional Performance—Systematic ReviewPiotr Szaflik0Hanna Zadoń1Robert Michnik2Katarzyna Nowakowska-Lipiec3Department of Biomechatronics, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Roosevelta 40, 41-800 Zabrze, PolandDepartment of Biomechatronics, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Roosevelta 40, 41-800 Zabrze, PolandDepartment of Biomechatronics, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Roosevelta 40, 41-800 Zabrze, PolandDepartment of Biomechatronics, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Roosevelta 40, 41-800 Zabrze, PolandReduced muscle strength can affect daily activities, so monitoring is essential. Methods such as isokinetic dynamometers assess maximum muscle force, while hand dynamometers measure hand grip strength. Research has investigated hand grip strength as a predictor of upper, lower and total strength, but the results remain unsystematic. The aim of this study was to systematize the current state of knowledge to test whether hand grip strength can be used as an indicator of overall strength and functional performance. A review of studies from 2000 to 2023 was conducted using: ScienceDirect, PubMed and GoogleScholar. The focus was on articles that examined the relationship between hand grip strength and muscle torque. The following keywords, entered in different configurations, were used in the search: ’hand grip’, ’muscle strength’, ’correlation’ and ’association’. A total of 22 studies were selected for analysis, involving 752 healthy adults, 30 physically active people, 120 ill adults, 2965 older people and 112 ill older people. The analysis looked at associations between hand grip strength and muscle moments of the trunk, limbs and knee joint. The results from the literature indicate that the value of the correlation between hand grip strength and muscle torque varies (from low to high) depending on the test method or group. Therefore, caution should be exercised when using hand grip strength as the sole measure of overall strength and functional performance.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/4/1847handgrip strengthmuscle strengthdynamometerisokinetic contractionisometric contractioncorrelation
spellingShingle Piotr Szaflik
Hanna Zadoń
Robert Michnik
Katarzyna Nowakowska-Lipiec
Handgrip Strength as an Indicator of Overall Strength and Functional Performance—Systematic Review
Applied Sciences
handgrip strength
muscle strength
dynamometer
isokinetic contraction
isometric contraction
correlation
title Handgrip Strength as an Indicator of Overall Strength and Functional Performance—Systematic Review
title_full Handgrip Strength as an Indicator of Overall Strength and Functional Performance—Systematic Review
title_fullStr Handgrip Strength as an Indicator of Overall Strength and Functional Performance—Systematic Review
title_full_unstemmed Handgrip Strength as an Indicator of Overall Strength and Functional Performance—Systematic Review
title_short Handgrip Strength as an Indicator of Overall Strength and Functional Performance—Systematic Review
title_sort handgrip strength as an indicator of overall strength and functional performance systematic review
topic handgrip strength
muscle strength
dynamometer
isokinetic contraction
isometric contraction
correlation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/4/1847
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AT hannazadon handgripstrengthasanindicatorofoverallstrengthandfunctionalperformancesystematicreview
AT robertmichnik handgripstrengthasanindicatorofoverallstrengthandfunctionalperformancesystematicreview
AT katarzynanowakowskalipiec handgripstrengthasanindicatorofoverallstrengthandfunctionalperformancesystematicreview