Allometric Grip Strength Norms for American Children

Abstract

Kocher, MH, Oba, Y, Kimura, IF, Stickley, CD, Morgan, CF, and Hetzler, RK. Allometric grip strength norms for American children. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2018-To develop normative data from a large cohort of American school children (ages 6-18) for unscaled and allometrically scaled handgrip strength data that are uninfluenced by body size (body mass [BM] and stature [Ht]). Data (age, handgrip strength, BM, and Ht) were collected from the 2011-2012 and 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey databases, resulting in 4,665 cases (2,384 boys and 2,281 girls). Multiple log-linear regressions were used to determine allometric exponents for BM and Ht separately for each age and sex to satisfy the common exponent and group difference principles described by Vanderburgh. Appropriateness of the allometric model was assessed through regression diagnostics, including normality and homoscedasticity of residuals. Allometrically scaled, ratio-scaled, and unscaled grip strength were then correlated with BM and Ht to examine the effectiveness of the procedure in controlling for body size. The data did not allow for development of a common exponent across age and sex that did not violate the common exponent and group difference principles. Correlations between allometrically scaled handgrip strength with BM and Ht were not significant (p ≤ 0.479) and approached zero, unlike correlations of unscaled handgrip strength with BM and Ht (p < 0.001 for all), indicating that allometric scaling was successful in removing the influence of body size. Allometric scaling handgrip strength by age and sex effectively controls for body size (Ht and BM) and perhaps maturation (Ht). The allometric exponents and normative values developed can be used to compare handgrip strength within age and sex while controlling for body size.

Normative values for handgrip strength in Colombian children and adolescents from 6 to 17 years of age: estimation using quantile regression

“…The normative values for HS are consistent with the magnitude and direction related to sex and age previously reported in different studies around the world, 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 in which male children and adolescents had consistently higher scores than their female peers. 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 It is also consistent with an increase in the HS value proportional to age in both males and females. 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , ...…”

“… 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 It is also consistent with an increase in the HS value proportional to age in both males and females. 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 …”

“…While several studies have reported the normative values for HS in children and adolescents from different countries in Europe, 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 the United States, 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 Oceania, 25 and Asia, 26 , 27 the number of studies in children and adolescents in Latin America is low. 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 The reports generally are focused on estimating the normative values for HS, 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 but only a few reports have described the normative values for HS Relative , 22 , 28 , 30 although the latter has been reported to be a more robust indicator. 7 , 8 …”

“… 35 For this reason, the objectives of this study are twofold: i ) to estimate the normative values for HS and HS Relative , specific to sex and age, for Colombian children and adolescents from 6 to 17 years of age using quantile regression models 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 and ii) to compare the normative values for the HS and HS Relative in Colombian children and adolescents with those reported in children and adolescents around the world. 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 …”

Roles of age, sex, and weight status in the muscular fitness of Chinese Tibetan children and adolescents living at altitudes over 3600 m: A cross‐sectional study

“…Muscular fitness studies based on sex and age parameters have been conducted in many countries such as the United States (Kocher et al, 2019), Europe (De Miguel-Etayo et al, 2014), Korea (Lim et al, 2019), Spain (Castro-Piñero et al, 2009), Canada (Hoffmann et al, 2019), and Australia (Catley & Tomkinson, 2013). Sex and age differences in physical fitness performance may be related to the effects of genetics, anatomy, physiology, behavior, and social and physical environments (Zaqout et al, 2016).…”