Grip Strength

Grip strength measures the force produced when squeezing a hand dynamometer. It is a reliable marker of overall muscular strength and has been linked to functional independence, mobility, and mortality risk in research. Adult norms (ages 20-80+) are from the iGRIPS international norms (n≈2.4M adults worldwide). Youth norms (ages 9-17) are from the Tomkinson 2018 Eurofit meta-analysis (n=203,295 across 24 European countries). Because these come from different studies and populations, the trend chart shows both as a single continuous line, note that the gap between ages 17 and 20 represents a source boundary, not a true biological break. Read more on Wikipedia

Data source: iGRIPS (International norms for adult handgrip strength) (2025) · n=2.4M About this study

Data source: Tomkinson et al. (Eurofit) (2018) · n=203.3K About this study

Grip Strength Strength

Grip Strength Norms by Age and Sex (kg)

Age Sex Percentile
5th 25th 50th 75th 95th
9 Male 9.4 12.6 15.5 18.5 22.9
Female 8.8 11.7 14.4 17.1 21.3
10 Male 10.5 13.9 17.1 20.4 25.3
Female 9.7 12.9 15.8 18.9 23.3
11 Male 11.8 15.6 19.2 22.9 28.3
Female 10.7 14.3 17.6 21 26
12 Male 13.4 17.7 21.7 25.8 31.7
Female 11.9 15.8 19.5 23.2 28.6
13 Male 15.6 20.5 25 29.8 36.4
Female 13.4 17.6 21.6 25.7 31.5
14 Male 18.5 24.2 29.3 34.6 41.6
Female 14.7 19.2 23.4 27.8 33.8
15 Male 22.1 28.3 33.7 39.3 46.6
Female 15.7 20.3 24.7 29.2 35.4
16 Male 26 32.5 38 43.6 50.8
Female 16.4 21.2 25.6 30.2 36.5
17 Male 29.4 36.2 42 47.7 55
Female 17 21.9 26.4 31.2 37.6
20-29 Male 35 43 49 55 65
Female 20 26 30 35 42
30-39 Male 36 44 50 56 66
Female 21 27 31 36 43
40-49 Male 34 42 48 54 64
Female 20 26 30 35 42
50-59 Male 30 38 44 50 60
Female 18 24 28 33 40
60-69 Male 26 34 40 46 55
Female 16 21 25 30 37
70-79 Male 22 29 35 41 50
Female 13 18 22 27 33
80+ Male 18 24 29 35 44
Female 10 14 18 23 29

What to expect by age group

Among adults in their 30s, the middle 50% score 44 to 56 kg for men and 27 to 36 kg for women. Grip strength peaks around age 30 to 39 in both sexes, then declines gradually through midlife and more steeply in older age; men average roughly 19 kg more than women throughout adulthood. Scores below 44 kg (men) or 27 kg (women) are typically below average for this age group; scores above 56 kg (men) or 36 kg (women) are above average.

Typical range (25th to 75th percentile) by age group (kg)
Age MalesFemales
9 12.6 to 18.511.7 to 17.1
10 13.9 to 20.412.9 to 18.9
11 15.6 to 22.914.3 to 21
12 17.7 to 25.815.8 to 23.2
13 20.5 to 29.817.6 to 25.7
14 24.2 to 34.619.2 to 27.8
15 28.3 to 39.320.3 to 29.2
16 32.5 to 43.621.2 to 30.2
17 36.2 to 47.721.9 to 31.2
20-29 43 to 5526 to 35
30-39 44 to 5627 to 36
40-49 42 to 5426 to 35
50-59 38 to 5024 to 33
60-69 34 to 4621 to 30
70-79 29 to 4118 to 27
80+ 24 to 3514 to 23

Detailed Breakdowns

Select an age group and sex below for detailed percentile charts, tables, and ratings.

Males
9101112131415161720-2930-3940-4950-5960-6970-7980+
Females
9101112131415161720-2930-3940-4950-5960-6970-7980+
Age trend (percentiles)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good grip strength for my age?

Grip strength varies by age and sex. Use the percentile table above to compare your score. The 50th percentile represents the median for your demographic. A score at P75 or above is considered above average, while P25 or below is below average.

Why does grip strength matter?

Research has linked grip strength to overall muscular strength, functional independence, and health outcomes in aging populations. It is used as a clinical screening tool for sarcopenia (muscle loss) and frailty in older adults.

How is grip strength measured?

Grip strength is measured using a hand dynamometer. You squeeze the device as hard as possible, and the result is recorded in kilograms. Most protocols use the dominant hand, and the best of two or three trials is recorded.

Why do norms for ages 9-17 come from a different source?

Youth norms use the Tomkinson 2018 Eurofit meta-analysis (n=203,295), which pooled data from 24 European countries using the Eurofit handgrip protocol. Adult norms use the iGRIPS international meta-analysis (n≈2.4M). These are different populations tested under slightly different conditions, so they should not be directly compared. The trend chart shows both series with a visible gap at the source boundary (ages 17 to 20).

Why are P25 and P75 approximate for youth norms?

The Tomkinson 2018 study reports percentiles at P20, P30, P70, and P80, but not P25 or P75. We interpolate: P25 = (P20 + P30) / 2 and P75 = (P70 + P80) / 2. These are estimates, not source-reported values.

Related Metrics

Eurofit Battery

This metric is part of the Eurofit, a standardised 9-test battery for children and adolescents aged 6-18.