Average Grip Strength by Age — Am I Normal?
Best hand-dynamometer reading (either hand, max effort). Filter by age and sex for a fair comparison.
What is an average grip strength?+
It depends heavily on age and sex. Rough reference medians (dominant hand): men peak near 45–47 kg in their 20s–30s and decline to ~30 kg by 70+; women near 28–29 kg, declining to ~18 kg. Use the age/sex filter above, or the Grip Strength Percentile tool for an exact percentile.
Does grip strength predict mortality?+
Yes. Leong et al. (Lancet 2015, ~140,000 adults) found each 5 kg drop in grip strength was associated with a 16% higher all-cause mortality risk — a stronger predictor than systolic blood pressure.
What grip strength is considered "weak"?+
The EWGSOP2 clinical cut-points for probable sarcopenia are under 27 kg for men and under 16 kg for women. Below those, raise it with resistance training and discuss with a clinician.
How do I measure grip strength?+
Use a hand dynamometer (Jamar-style or a cheaper digital model), arm at your side, squeeze maximally for a few seconds, and take the best of two or three attempts on your stronger hand.
See how you compare.
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