Grip strength has been shown to be closely associated to body strength and functional body movement ability among mature aged adults. However the aforementioned associations were based on absolute grip strength. What may be of greater importance is the relationship between allometrically scaled grip strength and body strength as well as functional body movement ability among mature aged adults. Purpose: This study examined the relationship between allometrically scaled grip strength and body strength as well as functional body movement ability among mature aged adults.

Methods: This study examined previously reported data that was collected as follows. Female (n=12, 71.2±3.8 yrs, 66.3±9.2 kg) and male (n=16, 72.9±4.7 yrs, 85.5±9.4 kg) participants completed functional body movements including: vertical jump (VJ), medicine ball (MB) throws (1.5, 3.0, & 5.0 kgs), and a stair climb (SC) test. The participants also completed 1 RM tests with the leg press (LP), biceps curl (BC), triceps extension (TE), lat pull down (LPD), and machine bench press (BP). An aggregate strength score was also calculated as the sum of the individual 1 RM tests and was considered a total body strength score (TS). Likewise, all participants performed maximal hand grip (MG) with the Jamar hand grip dynamometer. MG scores were allometrically scaled to body height2 (AMG: kg/m2). Pearson correlation coefficients (PCC) were then calculated to determine the relationship between AMG and the 1 RM strength scores as well as the functional body movement scores.

Results: PCC’s between the AMG and the functional body measures ranged from r=0.70-0.78 (p<0.01), considered as high. PCC’s between the AMG and 1 RM strength scores ranged from r=0.68-0.88 (p<0.01), considered as high to very high. The relationship between AMG and functional body measures as well 1 RM strength measures were reasonably consistent with those previously reported for MG and functional body measures as well 1 RM strength measures.

Conclusions: Within the parameters of this study, both MG and AMG appear to be strongly reflective of functional body movements and 1 RM strength measures. In this regard, assessing grip strength may be beneficial to clinicians interested in assessing functional body movement ability and body strength among aging adults