title: Norms for hand grip strength in children aged 6-12 years in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There were two main objectives of this study: to establish normative values of hand grip strengths for 6-12-year-old children in Saudi Arabia and to compare results with existing Western data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five-hundred twenty-five children from the central area of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were recruited. Hand grip strength was measured using a standard adjustable electronic hand dynamometer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The grip strength increased with advancing age in both genders, but grip strength for boys was significantly stronger than that of girls. There was no significant difference in hand grip strength according to the type of hand dominance. The hand strength of the Saudi children appeared to be lower than that of Western children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reported values of hand grip strength will allow therapists to compare scores from typical and atypical children according to the age, gender, and body measures.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University , Giza , Egypt .
authors.forename: Mohammed Taher Ahmed
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Omar
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alghadir
authors.forename: Shaheerah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al Baker
mesh_terms: D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000592:standards*; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: Children; hand grip strength; norms