CORRELATION STUDY OF AGE WITH GRIP STRENGTH AND PINCH STRENGTH IN HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS
Introduction: Deterioration in hand function in the elderly population is mostly secondary to age related degenerative changes in muscle, vascular and nervous system. Evaluation of hand strength can provide an objective index of general upper body strength. Aim: To determine the correlation of age with grip strength and pinch strength in healthy individuals. Methodology: This was a prospective study with 110 healthy subjects within the age group of 20-74 years. All the individuals in the study are divided in to 11 age groups of five years interval. Grip strength and pinch strength of each subject were recorded with hydraulic hand grip dynamometer and pinch gauge respectively. Then the data was calculated for further evaluations. Results: The highest and lowest grip as well as pinch strength was found in age group 30-34 year and 70-74 years respectively. The value of correlation coefficient, ‘r’ between age and grip strength was found to be -0.945 and between age and pinch strength was found to be -0.890 suggesting strong negative correlation of age with pinch and grip strength. Conclusion: The study concludes that with increasing age, grip strength and pinch strength decreases.