The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy · Oct 31, 2026
Grip Strength as a Limited Indicator of Lower Limb Strength in Community-Dwelling Older Men: A Cross-Sectional Study
By Kim D, 이재익
Purpose: This study examined the relationships between grip strength, lower limb joint strength, and anthropometric measurements in community-dwelling older men, and analyzed the agonist-antagonist strength ratios of the knee and hip joints.Methods: Forty community-dwelling men aged 70 years and older participated.The grip strength was measured using a digital dynamometer, and the flexion and extension strength of the knee and hip joints were measured using a hand-held dynamometer.The anthropometric measurements included height, weight, and waist, abdominal, hip, and thigh circumferences.All strength measurements were repeated three times, and the intra-rater reliability was assessed.Paired t-tests were used to compare the bilateral and agonist-antagonist strength, and correlation and multiple regression analyses examined the relationships between strength and anthropometric measurements.Results: The intra-rater reliability of all strength measurements was good to excellent.In the knee joint, extension strength was significantly greater than flexion strength, showing an extensor-to-flexor ratio of approximately 1.66, whereas the hip joint showed a more balanced ratio of approximately 1.10.The grip strength showed poor correlations with lower limb strength, including a borderline nonsignificant correlation between composite grip and lower limb strength (r= 0.31, p= 0.050).None of the anthropometric measurements significantly predicted the grip or lower limb strength.Conclusion: The grip strength did not adequately represent the lower limb strength, and the anthropometric measurements did not predict muscle strength in community-dwelling older men.These findings suggest that the grip strength and lower limb strength should be measured separately, and that lower limb strengthening interventions should consider the balance between the agonist and antagonist muscles.