Review article - (2025)24, 543 - 554
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52082/jssm.2025.543
Impact of Potential Moderating Factors on Absolute Test-Retest Reliability of Grip Strength Measurements in Healthy Populations: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis
Takashi Abe1,2,, Jun Seob Song3, Scott J. Dankel4, Ricardo B. Viana5, Akemi Abe2, Jeremy P. Loenneke6
1Graduate School of Health and Sports Science, Institute of Health and Sports Science & Medicine, Juntendo University, Chiba, Japan
2Division of Children’s Health and Exercise Research, Institute of Trainology, Fukuoka, Japan
3Department of Counseling, Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University-San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
4Department of Health and Exercise Science, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, USA
5Human Anatomy Laboratory, Institute of Physical Education and Sport, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
6Department of Health, Exercise Science, and Recreation Management, Kevser Ermin Applied Physiology Laboratory, The University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA

Takashi Abe
✉ Institute of Health and Sports Science & Medicine, Juntendo University, 1-1 Hirakagakuendai, Inza-shi, Chiba 270-1695, Japan
Email: t12abe@gmail.com
Received: 18-04-2025 -- Accepted: 25-06-2025
Published (online): 01-09-2025

ABSTRACT

Grip strength, a biomarker, can be measured at any age; however, its values vary daily for each individual, which impacts the assessment. Absolute test-retest reliability (i.e., minimal difference, MD) is commonly defined as the variation in absolute values of measurements taken by a single person or instrument on the same item under identical conditions. Nevertheless, the potential moderators of absolute repeatability in grip strength measurements have not yet been fully elucidated. We conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis to examine the influence of potential moderating factors on the absolute test-retest repeatability of grip strength measurements in healthy populations. PubMed, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus databases were searched up to January 2025 following the PRISMA guidelines, and 48 studies were included in this review. Age, test-retest interval, and device were used as potential moderating factors; however, sex and sports experience were excluded due to the limited number of published articles. We found considerable variation among studies reporting MD and percentage of MD to measured value (%MD) across each age group. The mean MD (%MD) values were 1.9 kg (25.4%) in young children (<7 years old), 2.5 kg (13.8%) in children (7-10 years old), 4.2 kg (17.1%) in adolescents (10-18 years old), 4.0 kg (11.6%) in young adults (18-35 years old), and 4.7 kg (16.7%) in older adults (>60 years old). Neither age [effect size [ES]: 0.015 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.004, 0.035; p = 0.113) for MD and ES: -0.025 (95% CI: -0.089, 0.039; p = 0.439) for %MD], test-retest interval [ES: 0.006 (95% CI: -0.002, 0.013; p = 0.143) for MD and ES: 0.022 (95% CI: -0.001, 0.046; p = 0.065) for %MD] nor handgrip device (p = 0.752 for MD and p = 0.334 for %MD) served as significant moderators of MD and %MD reliability. Due to the limited number of studies, sex and sports experience were excluded from the analysis; as a result, their impacts remain unknown.

Key words: Dynamometer, handgrip, reproducibility, peak muscular strength

Key Points
  • In previous studies, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) is often the preferred method for reporting measurement reliability.
  • One major limitation with reporting ICC values is that they are entirely dependent on the heterogeneity of the sample included in the reliability assessment.
  • While there are certainly instances where relative reliability may be necessary, often absolute reliability is preferred and more useful.
  • We found considerable variation among studies reporting absolute test-retest reliability of grip strength tests, such as minimal differences (MD) and the percentage of MD to the measured value across each age group.
  • Neither age, test-retest interval, nor handgrip device served as a significant moderator of MD and percentage of MD reliability.








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