Grip strength test for seniors: norms by age
Grip strength is measured with a hand dynamometer: squeeze as hard as you can and take your best reading. At age 70, the typical (median) grip is about 24 kg (53 lb) for women and 39 kg (86 lb) for men. Below 16 kg for women or 27 kg for men counts as low strength.1,2
Check your grip strength
Enter your age, gender and your best reading. Your result appears below as soon as all three are filled in. Nothing you type leaves this page.
Fill in your age, gender and grip reading to see how it compares.
How to do the test
You need a hand dynamometer, a small device that measures how hard you squeeze. Most studies measure grip seated, take several tries with each hand and use the highest reading.1
Step 1: Sit in a chair with a back, feet flat on the floor.
Step 2: Keep your upper arm against your side with your elbow bent at a right angle (90°) and your wrist straight.
Step 3: Adjust the handle so the second joints of your fingers wrap around it comfortably.
Step 4: Squeeze as hard as you can for about 3 seconds, then relax. Breathe out as you squeeze; don’t hold your breath.
Step 5: Do 3 tries with each hand, switching hands each time and resting about a minute between tries.
Step 6: Write down your best single reading. That is the number to enter above.
No dynamometer? You still have options
Doctors’ offices, physical therapists and many personal trainers have a dynamometer and can test you in a minute. TogetherWON founder Kristen Nielsen uses grip strength as one of her first assessments with new clients, so we measure it at every free consultation.
Skip the test if you have a recent hand, wrist or elbow injury or surgery, or pain when you squeeze, and check with your doctor first if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure.
Grip strength norms by age and gender
These percentiles come from more than 60,000 grip measurements in 12 British studies, using each person’s highest reading from either hand.1 The 50th percentile is the median: half of people your age are stronger and half are weaker.
| Age | 10th | 25th | 50th (median) | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | 18 kg | 22 kg | 27 kg(60 lb) | 31 kg | 34 kg |
| 65 | 17 kg | 21 kg | 25 kg(55 lb) | 29 kg | 33 kg |
| 70 | 16 kg | 20 kg | 24 kg(53 lb) | 27 kg | 31 kg |
| 75 | 14 kg | 18 kg | 21 kg(46 lb) | 25 kg | 28 kg |
| 80 | 13 kg | 16 kg | 19 kg(42 lb) | 23 kg | 26 kg |
| 85 | 11 kg | 14 kg | 17 kg(37 lb) | 20 kg | 23 kg |
| 90 | 9 kg | 11 kg | 14 kg(31 lb) | 17 kg | 20 kg |
| Age | 10th | 25th | 50th (median) | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | 33 kg | 39 kg | 45 kg(99 lb) | 51 kg | 56 kg |
| 65 | 31 kg | 37 kg | 43 kg(95 lb) | 48 kg | 53 kg |
| 70 | 29 kg | 34 kg | 39 kg(86 lb) | 44 kg | 49 kg |
| 75 | 26 kg | 31 kg | 35 kg(77 lb) | 41 kg | 45 kg |
| 80 | 23 kg | 27 kg | 32 kg(71 lb) | 37 kg | 42 kg |
| 85 | 19 kg | 24 kg | 29 kg(64 lb) | 33 kg | 38 kg |
| 90 | 16 kg | 20 kg | 25 kg(55 lb) | 29 kg | 33 kg |
Scoring rule: find the age in the table closest to yours (the calculator covers ages 60 to 94). Below the 25th percentile is below average, the 25th to 75th percentile is about average, and above the 75th is above average.
Low strength, whatever your age: below 27 kg (60 lb) for men or below 16 kg (35 lb) for women.2 To convert pounds to kilograms, multiply by 0.4536.
What your result means
Below the low-strength cutoff
European sarcopenia guidelines use low muscle strength as the main sign of sarcopenia, and a reading below these cutoffs suggests probable sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle strength and mass.2 It isn’t a diagnosis on its own. Share your number with your doctor, and start a strength training program: muscle responds to training at any age.
Below average for your age
You’re weaker than most people your age, even if you’re above the low cutoff. That is the best time to act, while building strength is easier. Carrying, lifting and pulling exercises all help.
Average or above for your age
Good news. Grip naturally declines with age, so keep training and retest once or twice a year with the same device to catch any drop early.
Why it matters: grip strength is a quick stand-in for your overall strength. In a study of nearly 140,000 adults in 17 countries, lower grip strength was linked to higher risk of heart disease, stroke and early death.3 Read more about why grip strength matters
Grip strength questions
What is a good grip strength for a 70-year-old?
At age 70, the median grip strength is about 24 kg (53 lb) for women and 39 kg (86 lb) for men. The middle half of people fall between 20 and 27 kg for women and 34 and 44 kg for men.
Anything in or above that middle range is typical or better for your age. What matters most is staying above the low-strength cutoff and not losing strength year to year.
What grip strength is considered low for older adults?
European sarcopenia guidelines treat grip strength below 27 kg (about 60 lb) for men and below 16 kg (about 35 lb) for women as low muscle strength.
Those guidelines use low muscle strength as the main sign of sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle. A low grip reading suggests probable sarcopenia; a doctor confirms it by measuring muscle mass. Either way, it is a clear signal to start strength training.
How can I test my grip strength without a dynamometer?
You need a hand dynamometer for a number you can compare with norms. Doctors’ offices, physical therapists and many personal trainers have one, and some pharmacies and health fairs offer grip checks.
TogetherWON measures grip strength at every free consultation. Without a dynamometer, trouble opening jars, carrying groceries or turning door handles can be an early sign your grip is slipping.
Book a free consultationHow can seniors improve grip strength?
Carry things. Farmer’s carries, where you hold something heavy in each hand and walk tall, train your grip, core and balance at once. Everyday tasks like opening jars and wringing out towels help too.
Because grip reflects whole-body strength, a full strength training routine two or three times a week is the best long-term fix, not hand exercises alone.
Read: why grip strength matters and how to improve itWhy is grip strength linked to longevity?
Grip strength is a quick stand-in for overall muscle strength. A study of nearly 140,000 adults in 17 countries found that lower grip strength was linked to higher risk of heart disease, stroke and early death.
Grip itself doesn’t cause those outcomes. It reflects how strong and active you are overall, which is why building strength anywhere in the body tends to show up in your grip.
Sources
- Dodds RM, Syddall HE, Cooper R, et al. Grip strength across the life course: normative data from twelve British studies. PLoS One. 2014;9(12):e113637. View source
- Cruz-Jentoft AJ, Bahat G, Bauer J, et al. Sarcopenia: revised European consensus on definition and diagnosis. Age Ageing. 2019;48(1):16–31. View source
- Leong DP, Teo KK, Rangarajan S, et al. Prognostic value of grip strength: findings from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study. Lancet. 2015;386(9990):266–273. View source
This test is for education and self-tracking. It is not a medical diagnosis and doesn’t replace advice from your doctor or physical therapist.
Want us to measure your grip for you?
Your first session is free: a one-hour consultation and movement assessment, in your home in the Colorado Springs area or online, where we check your strength and balance and build a plan that fits your life.