Handgrip strength asymmetry is associated with future falls in older Americans.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Examining handgrip strength (HGS) asymmetry could extend the utility of handgrip dynamometers for screening future falls.

Aims

We sought to determine the associations of HGS asymmetry on future falls in older Americans.

Methods

The analytic sample included 10,446 adults aged at least 65 years from the 2006-2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. Falls were self-reported. A handgrip dynamometer measured HGS. The highest HGS on each hand was used for determining HGS asymmetry ratio: (non-dominant HGS/dominant HGS). Those with HGS asymmetry ratio < 1.0 had their ratio inverted to make all HGS asymmetry ratios ≥ 1.0. Participants were categorized into asymmetry groups based on their inverted HGS asymmetry ratio: (1) 0.0-10.0%, (2) 10.1-20.0%, (3) 20.1-30

SUBMITTER: McGrath R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8211412 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature