Is Your Grip Strength Age Appropriate?
66% of the UK Population Has Grip Strength Within This Range:
What It Means If Your Grip Strength Is Below Average
If your grip strength is lower than expected, don’t worry, take action to make yourself stronger. Re-test in 6 weeks to look for improvements.
The table above is the expected grip strength range based on age, for 66% of the UK population. The table above can be considered the “average range” for grip strength based on age in the UK. The data in our chart above is from published journal results from on an extensive 2014 study by Dodds et al which set up normative grip strength data for the UK based on 49,964 participants in Great Britain across 12 different studies. The data table above is the mean strength with 1 standard deviation (ie 66% of results fall within this range).
If your grip strength result is lower than expected, STRENGTHEN ALL YOUR MUSCLES and your hand muscles to improve. Click here for our action plan to get stronger.
For Kids – 10 QUICK FACTS
- Grip strength helps with writing, climbing, and carrying bags.
- It shows how your muscles are growing and getting stronger.
- Grip strength tells us how ALL your muscles are developing.
- Make your whole body stronger, to improve your grip strength.
- Weak grip can make daily tasks harder, like using cutlery or zips.
- Strong hands help you play better at sport and in the playground.
- Hand strengthening exercises help to improve grip strength.
- Squeeze balls and playdough build grip strength.
- Climbing frames and monkey bars make hands strong too.
- Building Lego, using ropes, or skipping are great exercises.
Grip Strength & Health: What the Research Shows
Across populations, stronger grip is linked to longer lifespan and better healthspan
– Cohort studies across Europe, Asia, and North America confirm this association, making grip strength a widely accepted “biomarker of ageing.”
Grip strength is a strong predictor of poor health
– According to The PURE Study (Lancet, 2015), low grip strength was independently associated with significant health complications and disease.
Each 5 kg decrease in grip strength increases health risk by ~16%
– (Lancet 2015; PURE Study) This effect persisted after adjusting for age, physical activity, smoking, and comorbidities.
Poor grip strength in midlife can predict disability 25+ years later
– Longitudinal data (MRC National Survey of Health and Development) showed that grip strength in midlife was a strong indicator of physical limitations and frailty in later life.
Grip strength below age-norms indicates biological ageing
– Individuals with grip strength below the 25th percentile for their age and sex are more likely to exhibit accelerated ageing markers (inflammation, mitochondrial decline).
The relationship between grip strength and longevity is dose-dependent
– The weaker the grip (relative to age and sex norms), the higher the risk of health issues and chronic disease burden.
At BOOST PHYSIO, we’ve helped thousands of people recover through expert-led rehab, injury prevention, and bespoke treatment plans.
✅ Book with one of our expert physiotherapists.
✅ Get a full assessment, movement screen and strength profile.
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