title: Grip strength impairments among older adults receiving physical therapy in a home-care setting.
abstract: A hand-grip dynamometer was used to assess the magnitude and prevalence of grip strength impairments among 41 home-care patients with diverse diagnoses (e.g., stroke, cancer, fracture, osteoarthritis). Based on published reference values, patients (as a whole) were weaker than normal for age and sex. The prevalence of weakness was 85.4% on one or the other side and 70.7% on both sides. Considering the prognostic importance of grip strength, this study emphasized the potential value of its measurement in a home-care population.
authors.affiliation: Program in Physical Therapy, Department of Kinesiology, Neag School of Education, University of Connecticut, Storrs 06269-2101, USA. richard.bohannon@uconn.edu
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Bohannon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016330:Frail Elderly; D018737:Hand Strength; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053581:Muscle Strength Dynamometer; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000534:rehabilitation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation