How to do a grip strength test with a dynamometer, the standard position, low-strength cut-offs for men and women, and what to do with the result.
The most accurate way to test grip strength is a hand dynamometer, used in a standard seated position with the best of two or three squeezes recorded for each hand. As a rough guide, grip below about 27 kg in men or 16 kg in women (European cut-offs), or 28 kg and 18 kg (Asian cut-offs), flags low muscle strength worth acting on.
Why test grip at all?
Grip strength is a quick, cheap proxy for overall muscle strength. In the PURE study of about 140,000 adults, each 5 kg lower grip was associated with about 16% higher risk of death from any cause. Weak grip is also used in the diagnosis of sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle and strength. Our article on grip strength and longevity covers the evidence in detail. This guide focuses on how to measure it properly.
What you need
- A hand dynamometer. A hydraulic type such as the Jamar is the clinical reference, and calibrated digital models are also used. Physiotherapy clinics, sports clinics and hospitals often have one.
- A chair with a back and no armrests.
- A notebook or phone to record results.
The standard protocol
Consistency matters more than any other factor. The review by Roberts and colleagues recommends a standardised seated position so results can be compared. A typical protocol:
- Sit with your back supported, feet flat on the floor and hips and knees at about 90 degrees.
- Position the arm: upper arm against your side, elbow bent to 90 degrees, forearm in a neutral (thumb-up) position, wrist straight or slightly extended.
- Adjust the handle so the handle sits comfortably against the middle of your fingers.
- Squeeze as hard as you can for 3 to 5 seconds, with steady effort and normal breathing. Do not hold your breath or swing the arm.
- Rest for about one minute.
- Repeat two or three times on each hand, alternating hands.
- Record the best score for each hand, and note the date, device and setting.
Do not test if you have acute hand, wrist or elbow pain, recent surgery or a hand injury.
Reading the result
Grip varies with age, sex and body size. Two sets of cut-offs for low strength are commonly used.
| Consensus | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| EWGSOP2 (European) | Below 27 kg | Below 16 kg |
| AWGS 2019 (Asian) | Below 28 kg | Below 18 kg |
These are screening thresholds for sarcopenia, not goals. Most healthy adults score well above them. The Asian cut-offs are generally more relevant for Malaysians, who are on average smaller than European populations. A 2023 study published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders reported reference values for healthy Malay adults, and clinics may also use age-specific tables such as British normative data from Dodds and colleagues. Ask whoever measures you which reference they use.
What matters most:
- Your trend. Steady or rising is good. A clear fall over several months deserves attention.
- Left versus right. The dominant hand is typically stronger by roughly 5 to 10%. A big gap or a sudden one-sided loss is worth a medical review.
- Context. Low grip with low walking speed or a slow sit-to-stand suggests sarcopenia. Use our sarcopenia screen for a first check.
No dynamometer? Practical alternatives
These do not replace a measurement, and there are no norms, but they let you track your own change if you use the same method each time.
| Test | How | What to record |
|---|---|---|
| Dead hang | Hang from a sturdy bar with feet on a box nearby | Time in seconds, best of two |
| Farmer’s carry | Walk with a bag or dumbbell in each hand | Weight and distance you carry with good posture |
| Towel squeeze | Squeeze a rolled towel as hard as you can | Time you can hold at a hard effort |
| Everyday signs | Jars, taps, wringing a cloth, carrying shopping | Whether they feel harder than last year |
Avoid dead hangs if you have shoulder pain, instability or high blood pressure that is not controlled.
How to improve it
Grip responds quickly to training. Do carries, rows, hip hinges with a firm hold and hangs twice a week, as part of strength training for longevity. Our guides to the farmer’s carry, suitcase carry and band rows show how. Eat enough protein, as covered in how much protein after 50. Retest in 8 to 12 weeks.
Track it alongside other tests
No single test tells the whole story. Combine grip with the gait speed test, single-leg balance and the sit-to-stand test. See longevity biomarkers to track for a full set.
When to see a doctor
This is a fitness measure, not a diagnosis. Speak to a doctor if:
- Your grip has fallen noticeably over weeks or months.
- You have numbness, tingling, weakness or wasting in one hand or arm.
- You drop objects, or find buttons and writing harder.
- Low grip comes with unintended weight loss, fatigue or frequent falls.
Getting reliable numbers
Small differences in method change the score. To compare your results over time, keep these the same:
- Device and handle position. Handle spacing affects the reading, and many people do best with the handle resting along the middle segments of the fingers.
- Posture. Seated, elbow at 90 degrees. A standing or arm-extended position gives different results.
- Number of attempts. Two or three per hand, and record the best.
- Timing. Test at a similar time of day, and not right after a hard upper-body session.
- Instructions. Use the same cue each time, such as “squeeze as hard as you can”.
Hydraulic and digital dynamometers differ slightly, so do not compare a clinic reading with a home device directly. A change of a couple of kilograms may be within normal variation, so look for a trend across several tests.
Turning a number into a plan
| Result | What it suggests | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Above cut-offs, stable | Good strength for now | Keep strength training twice a week |
| Above cut-offs, but falling | Early decline | Add resistance training and review protein |
| Below cut-offs | Possible sarcopenia | Check walking speed and chair stand, speak to a doctor or physiotherapist, start progressive resistance training |
| Large left-right gap or sudden loss | Possible injury or nerve problem | See a doctor |
Muscle strength is one of three parts of the sarcopenia definition, together with muscle quantity and physical performance, so a low grip is a prompt to assess further rather than a diagnosis.
Key takeaways
- A hand dynamometer in a standard seated position gives the most accurate grip measurement.
- Test each hand two or three times, rest between attempts, and record the best result.
- Cut-offs for low strength are about 27 kg (men) and 16 kg (women) in Europe, and 28 kg and 18 kg in Asia.
- Without a device, track dead hang or carry performance using the same method each time.
- Retest every 8 to 12 weeks, and see a doctor for sudden loss, one-sided weakness or numbness.
If you would like your grip and overall strength assessed properly, with a plan to build both, we run home-visit assessments across KL and Selangor.