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Grip Strength Benchmark Tool

Compare a hand dynamometer reading against sarcopenia cut-offs and typical grip strength for your age and sex.

About this tool

Grip Strength Benchmark Tool

Compare a hand dynamometer reading against sarcopenia cut-offs and typical grip strength for your age and sex.

Grip Strength Benchmark Tool compares a hand dynamometer reading against the three published low-strength cut-offs used in sarcopenia screening — EWGSOP2 (27 kg men, 16 kg women), AWGS (28 kg and 18 kg) and FNIH (26 kg and 16 kg) — and against the usual range of mean grip for your age band and sex. It also reports the left-to-right difference and grip divided by BMI. Grip strength is one of the strongest single predictors of physical function in older adults, which is why these thresholds exist.

How to use Grip Strength Benchmark Tool

  1. 1

    Open Grip Strength Benchmark Tool on AltFTool — it loads instantly in your browser.

  2. 2

    Enter Sex, Age (years) and your dynamometer readings — Dominant hand, best of 3 (kg) and Other hand, best of 3 (kg, 0 to skip) — plus an optional BMI for relative grip.

  3. 3

    The benchmark recalculates as you type: the Best grip figure shows your reading in kg, pounds and newtons against the typical range for your age and sex, with the left/right difference flagged over 10 percent.

  4. 4

    Compare the 'Published low-strength cut-offs' table, which shows your margin above or below EWGSOP2, AWGS and FNIH, then press Copy result for a text summary.

Why use Grip Strength Benchmark Tool

  • Three official cut-offs

    EWGSOP2, AWGS and FNIH thresholds side by side, with your margin above or below each.

  • Honest reference ranges

    Age norms are given as ranges, because published means differ between cohorts and dynamometers.

  • Asymmetry check

    Flags a left-to-right difference above 10 percent, the level usually considered worth investigating.

Common use cases

  • Check a new dynamometer reading against the EWGSOP2 low-strength threshold used across Europe.
  • See whether a 40 kg reading is normal for a 70-year-old man or a sign of decline.
  • Track grip after a wrist injury and quantify the difference between the two hands.
  • Convert a reading between kilograms, pounds and newtons for a form that asks for different units.

Frequently asked questions

What is a normal grip strength for my age?

For men it is typically around 45 to 54 kg in the twenties and thirties, falling to about 28 to 36 kg in the seventies; for women roughly 27 to 34 kg in early adulthood and 18 to 23 kg in the seventies. Cohorts and dynamometers differ, so treat any single number as approximate.

What grip strength indicates sarcopenia?

EWGSOP2 sets low strength at under 27 kg for men and under 16 kg for women; the Asian Working Group uses 28 kg and 18 kg, and the FNIH project 26 kg and 16 kg. Low grip alone is not a diagnosis — muscle mass and physical performance also have to be assessed.

How should I measure grip strength properly?

Sit with the shoulder adducted, elbow bent to 90 degrees and forearm neutral, adjust the handle to your hand size, and squeeze maximally for about three seconds. Take three attempts per hand with a short rest and record the best single value, which is the convention used by the cut-offs above.

Can grip strength be improved?

Yes. Progressive resistance training improves grip and, more importantly, whole-body strength in adults of every age, including people in their eighties and nineties. If your reading falls below a cut-off, speak to a clinician or physiotherapist rather than self-prescribing a programme.

Embed this tool on your site

Add the Grip Strength Benchmark Tool widget to your blog or website — free, responsive, no signup. Just keep the “Widget by AltFTool” credit link visible.

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