Hyeon Gayeong, Kim Changhun, Shin Sunghoon
Neuromuscular Control Laboratory, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Republic of Korea.
Research Institute of Human Ecology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Republic of Korea.
Front Public Health. 2025 Apr 29;13:1557834. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1557834. eCollection 2025.
This study aimed to investigate the reciprocal relationship between grip strength and gait function across different age groups to better understand age-specific physical performance patterns.
A total of 328 participants were categorized into young (19-39 years), middle-aged (40-59 years), and older adults (60-89 years). Grip strength, spatiotemporal gait parameters, and gait variability were assessed using validated measurement tools. To investigate the reciprocal relationship, hierarchical moderated regression analyses were conducted to assess the effects of grip strength on spatiotemporal gait parameters, considering age as a moderator, whereas stepwise linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate the predictive effects of spatiotemporal gait parameters on grip strength, controlling for age and additional covariates.
Grip strength significantly influenced gait performance variables-stride length, step length, and walking speed-with the strongest effects observed in older adults. However, grip strength did not significantly impact gait variability, which appeared to be primarily affected by age-related neuromuscular changes. Furthermore, this study highlights that gait performance itself may influence grip strength, particularly in older adults, suggesting a reciprocal relationship between upper and lower limb function. Specifically, the proportion of the double support phase-known to increase with age-was found to be a significant predictor of grip strength, likely reflecting compensatory adaptations for balance maintenance under conditions of declining neuromuscular function.
These findings suggest that the mechanisms underlying gait performance differ from those related to gait stability. While grip strength may serve as an accessible biomarker for functional ability in older adults, its relevance in younger and middle-aged adults appears limited. Age-specific interventions are recommended: for older adults, grip-strengthening exercises combined with gait stability training may be beneficial; for younger and middle-aged adults, enhancing neuromuscular coordination and flexibility could be more effective in supporting gait function.
本研究旨在调查不同年龄组握力与步态功能之间的相互关系，以更好地了解特定年龄的身体表现模式。
共有328名参与者被分为青年组（19 - 39岁）、中年组（40 - 59岁）和老年组（60 - 89岁）。使用经过验证的测量工具评估握力、时空步态参数和步态变异性。为了研究这种相互关系，进行了分层调节回归分析，以评估握力对时空步态参数的影响，将年龄作为调节变量；同时进行逐步线性回归分析，以评估时空步态参数对握力的预测作用，并控制年龄和其他协变量。
握力对步态表现变量——步幅长度、步长和步行速度——有显著影响，在老年人中观察到的影响最强。然而，握力对步态变异性没有显著影响，步态变异性似乎主要受与年龄相关的神经肌肉变化影响。此外，本研究强调步态表现本身可能会影响握力，特别是在老年人中，这表明上肢和下肢功能之间存在相互关系。具体而言，已知随年龄增加的双支撑相比例是握力的一个重要预测因素，这可能反映了在神经肌肉功能下降的情况下为维持平衡而进行的代偿性适应。
这些发现表明，步态表现的潜在机制与步态稳定性的机制不同。虽然握力可能是老年人功能能力的一个可获取的生物标志物，但其在青年和中年成年人中的相关性似乎有限。建议采取针对特定年龄的干预措施：对于老年人，握力增强练习与步态稳定性训练相结合可能有益；对于青年和中年成年人，增强神经肌肉协调性和灵活性可能对支持步态功能更有效。
