Association between Handgrip Strength and Forearm Circumference in Healthy Young Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61982/bjtbb928Keywords:
Anthropometry, Forearm circumference, Handgrip Strength, Young adultsAbstract
Background: Handgrip strength is frequently used to assess the functional performance of the hand and forearm muscles, nutritional status, and general physical health. It is a recognized prognostic marker in neuromuscular disease, nutritional depletion, and cardiovascular disorders, and it predicts rehabilitation outcomes and dependence in activities of daily living.
Objective: To determine the association between forearm circumference and handgrip strength in healthy young adults.
Methods: This cross-sectional, observational study was carried out in the Department of Allied Health Sciences, Sargodha Medical College, Sargodha, Pakistan, from September 2024 to January 2025. We recruited fifty healthy young adults aged 18-30 years using convenience sampling. Individuals with any physical disability, anatomical bony deformity of the upper limb, a neuromuscular condition, a history of surgery or fracture, psychological illness, or systemic illness like rheumatoid arthritis were excluded. Handgrip strength was measured in both hands with a digital hand dynamometer. Forearm circumference was recorded using a measuring tape at the midpoint between the elbow and wrist, with the forearm supinated and the measurement site free of clothing. Written consent was obtained from all participants before collecting measurements. Frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations were used to describe participants’ characteristics. Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated to examine the relationship between forearm circumference and handgrip strength, overall and stratified by sex. Independent-samples t-tests compared handgrip strength and forearm circumference between sexes and between hands.
Results: Mean forearm circumference was 23.5±4 cm, and mean handgrip strength was 28.9±10.2 kg. A strong positive relationship was found between forearm circumference and handgrip strength (r=0.87, p<0.001). Males showed significantly greater forearm circumference and handgrip strength than females (p<0.001), and the correlation was stronger in males (r=0.92, p<0.001) than in females (r=0.43, p=0.02). The dominant hand showed significantly greater grip force than the non-dominant hand in both sexes.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated a strong positive association between forearm circumference and handgrip strength among healthy young adults, with the relationship being particularly strong in males. Participants with greater forearm circumference generally exhibited greater handgrip strength, supporting the potential role of forearm circumference as a simple and accessible anthropometric correlate of upper-limb muscular strength.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Areeba Aziz, Mahin Fatima, Sukaina Asghar, Noor Ahmed, Farrukhh Abbas, Aymen Taqdees
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CMH Journal of Allied Health Sciences is published by CMH Lahore Medical College and Institute of Dentistry.
