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Hand grip strength assessment in older people: is the supine position valid and reliable?

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Key summary points

AbstractSection Aim

Is handgrip strength assessment in the supine position valid and reliable as compared to the traditional sitting position?

AbstractSection Findings

Grip strength values assessed in the sitting position highly correlated with the values of strength assessed in the sitting position without significant differences in the mean values of the two different assessment methods. Results were consistent across gender, cognitive status and body side.

AbstractSection Message

In bedridden patients grip strength assessment using the supine position can be considered a valid alternative to the sitting position.

Abstract

Purpose

Muscle strength evaluation is important in older people’s functional assessment. We investigated the validity of grip strength measurement in a supine position as compared to the traditional one.

Methods

Cross-sectional study conducted in older people hospitalized in a medical unit. Patients underwent measurements of grip strength in both supine and sitting positions. Agreement between results was evaluated using Pearson correlation and Infraclass correlation coefficient. The two measurements techniques were graphically compared with Bland–Altman plot.

Results

Forty four participants enrolled (21 females), mean age 80.6. Correlation coefficients demonstrated a strong positive relationship between the two different measurement positions (all values greater than 0.9). Results were consistent and similar across gender, body side and were not affected by cognitive impairment. Infraclass correlation analyses demonstrate a very good inter-rate reliability.

Conclusions

Grip strength assessed in the supine position can be considered a valid alternative in bedridden individuals.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Sciences, Geriatric and Orthogeriatric Unit S. Anna Hospital, University of Ferrara, Via Ariosto, 35, 44121, Ferrara, Italy

    Benedetta Govoni, Giacomo Mantovani, Amedeo Zurlo & Stefano Volpato

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, S. Anna Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy

    Lara Bianchi

  3. Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy

    Elisa Maietti, Elisabetta Savino & Gloria Brombo

  4. Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

    Elisa Maietti

Authors
  1. Benedetta Govoni
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  2. Giacomo Mantovani
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  3. Elisa Maietti
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  4. Elisabetta Savino
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  5. Gloria Brombo
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  6. Lara Bianchi
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  7. Amedeo Zurlo
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  8. Stefano Volpato
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefano Volpato.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

The original study received approval from the local ethical review board at Provincia di Ferrara, Italy protocol #19-2013.

Informed consent

All the patients had given their informed consent for participation in the original study.

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Govoni, B., Mantovani, G., Maietti, E. et al. Hand grip strength assessment in older people: is the supine position valid and reliable?. Eur Geriatr Med 10, 741–745 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41999-019-00226-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41999-019-00226-9

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