Head-to-head comparison
The Jamar dynamometer is the traditional analogue grip strength tool. It captures a single reading with no digital record, no normative comparison, and no route into a care plan. Able Assess captures grip strength digitally alongside three additional functional metrics, scores every result against age- and sex-matched normative data, and feeds risk banding straight into the clinical workflow.
Feature
Able Assess
Jamar Dynamometer
Measurement type
Fully digital, sensor-based grip strength via the GripAble device
Analogue hydraulic gauge, read visually by the operator
Data capture
Automatic digital capture with timestamped records and longitudinal trending
Manual reading, recorded by hand on paper or spreadsheet
Normative comparison
Automatic scoring against age- and sex-matched normative data
Clinician must look up normative tables manually
Additional metrics
Four metrics in one workflow: grip strength, sit-to-stand, gait speed, timed up-and-go
Grip strength only
Workflow integration
Risk banding routed to care team, EHR and OASIS integration-ready
No digital workflow, no integration capability
Consistency
One standardized protocol across every site and every staff member
Reading accuracy varies by operator technique and gauge calibration
Staff requirements
Any staff member, no clinical certification required
Typically requires trained clinical staff for correct positioning and reading
Scalability
Roll out digitally to every branch with minimal training
One device per site, no centralized data, no trend reporting
Why digital grip strength measurement matters
Grip strength predicts all-cause mortality more reliably than systolic blood pressure.
— Lancet, 2015