Grip Strength by Age and Sex: Chart and Checker

Grip strength by age and sex

Short answer

Grip strength rises to a peak in early adult life, holds through midlife and declines after that. In twelve British studies, median grip peaked at 51 kg in men and 31 kg in women. At 50, the median is 48 kg for men (10th–90th centile 35–60 kg) and 29 kg for women (21–37 kg).

Last reviewed 28 October 20261 published sourcesNot medical advice

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Grip strength by age: median (10th–90th centile), kg
Age	Males	Females
5 years	8 (6–10)	8 (6–10)
10 years	17 (12–22)	16 (12–21)
15 years	29 (21–38)	24 (17–30)
20 years	40 (30–52)	28 (21–36)
25 years	48 (36–61)	30 (23–38)
30 years	51 (38–64)	31 (24–39)
35 years	51 (39–64)	31 (23–39)
40 years	50 (38–63)	31 (23–39)
45 years	49 (36–61)	30 (22–38)
50 years	48 (35–60)	29 (21–37)
55 years	47 (34–59)	28 (19–35)
60 years	45 (33–56)	27 (18–34)
65 years	43 (31–53)	25 (17–33)
70 years	39 (29–49)	24 (16–31)
75 years	35 (26–45)	21 (14–28)
80 years	32 (23–42)	19 (13–26)
85 years	29 (19–38)	17 (11–23)
90 years	25 (16–33)	14 (9–20)

Age

Males

Females

5 years

8 (6–10)

10 years

17 (12–22)

16 (12–21)

15 years

29 (21–38)

24 (17–30)

20 years

40 (30–52)

28 (21–36)

25 years

48 (36–61)

30 (23–38)

30 years

51 (38–64)

31 (24–39)

35 years

51 (39–64)

31 (23–39)

40 years

50 (38–63)

31 (23–39)

45 years

49 (36–61)

30 (22–38)

50 years

48 (35–60)

29 (21–37)

55 years

47 (34–59)

28 (19–35)

60 years

45 (33–56)

27 (18–34)

65 years

43 (31–53)

25 (17–33)

70 years

39 (29–49)

24 (16–31)

75 years

35 (26–45)

21 (14–28)

80 years

32 (23–42)

19 (13–26)

85 years

29 (19–38)

17 (11–23)

90 years

25 (16–33)

14 (9–20)

Where the numbers come from

Dodds and colleagues combined 60,803 grip measurements from 49,964 people aged 4 to over 90 in twelve general-population studies in Great Britain, and modelled centiles for each sex across age (Dodds et al., 2014).

They describe three phases: a rise to a peak in early adult life, maintenance through midlife and a decline from midlife onwards. Median grip peaked at 51 kg in males between ages 29 and 39 and 31 kg in females between 26 and 42 (Dodds et al., 2014).

The studies used the maximum of all grip attempts, and the authors found their centiles robust to the type of dynamometer and whether people sat or stood (Dodds et al., 2014). The table gives centiles every five years; for ages in between, the calculator estimates each centile in a straight line between the two nearest ages.

Strength beyond your grip

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Common questions

What is a normal grip strength for my age?

Use the table below. For example, the median at age 30 is 51 kg for men and 31 kg for women, and at age 70 it is 39 kg and 24 kg. Half of people of that age and sex grip more than the median, half less.

How should I measure grip strength?

Squeeze a hand dynamometer as hard as you can, several times, and take your best result. Dodds et al. used the maximum of all attempts, because the maximum is less affected by the number of trials than the average.

Why does grip strength matter?

It is a simple measure of overall muscle strength. Dodds et al. note that grip strength is recognised as an important part of identifying sarcopenia (age-related loss of muscle) and frailty, and offer their centiles to inform that assessment.

Sources

Figures on this page were checked against these publications on 28 October 2026.

Dodds RM, Syddall HE, Cooper R, Benzeval M, Deary IJ, Dennison EM, et al. Grip strength across the life course: normative data from twelve British studies. PLoS One. 2014;9(12):e113637. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0113637

Grip strength by age and sex