Norms for hand grip strength in children aged 6–12 years in Saudi Arabia

OBJECTIVES: There were two main objectives of this study: to establish normative values of hand grip strengths for 6-12-year-old children in Saudi Arabia and to compare results with existing Western data. METHODS: Five-hundred twenty-five children from the central area of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were recruited. Hand grip strength was measured using a standard adjustable electronic hand dynamometer. RESULTS: The grip strength increased with advancing age in both genders, but grip strength for boys was significantly stronger than that of girls. There was no significant difference in hand grip strength according to the type of hand dominance. The hand strength of the Saudi children appeared to be lower than that of Western children. CONCLUSION: The reported values of hand grip strength will allow therapists to compare scores from typical and atypical children according to the age, gender, and body measures.