Handgrip Strength of Malaysian Working-Age Population

Handgrip strength can indicate overall muscle strength. Weak muscle strength has been shown to increase the risk of developing musculoskeletal disease (MSD), especially among the working-age population. This cross-sectional study aimed to measure handgrip strength among 3549 working-age respondents nationwide. Healthy respondents were recruited nationwide. The Baseline Digital Smedley Digital Dynamometer was used to measure the handgrip strength for both hands. Each respondent was given three trials, and the strongest reading was recorded. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to find significant differences between groups. Significant differences were found between the dominant hand, gender, age group, and ethnicity. The male was stronger than the female. Right-handed were stronger than left-handed respondents. The handgrip strength began to drop at 40, and the Sabah group was the strongest among ethnicities. The present study is considered one of the most extensive studies among the Malaysian population. The data gathered may provide crucial information on the muscle strength status and limitations among the Malaysian working-age population.