There is a surprisingly insightful measure of overall health that can provide valuable insight – grip strength.
According to health promotion specialists from Select Health – wholly owned subsidiary of Intermountain Health – a person’s gripe strength can reveal valuable information about their cardiovascular health, muscle strength, and potential risks for various conditions.
“Grip strength directly impacts one’s ability to grasp, pull, lift, or manipulate objects,” said Erica Quigley, health promotions specialist at Select Health. “It’s essential for various activities like opening jars, throwing a ball, pulling weeds, carrying groceries, and gripping handrails.”
Grip strength is the force exerted by the hand, wrist, and forearm muscles when gripping or clenching an object.
According to studies at UCLA, poor grip strength can be linked with several negative health outcomes, including heart disease, arthritis, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. It can also predict post-surgical complications, recovery times, and mortality rates. For elderly individuals, declining grip strength may also signal deteriorating cognitive function, increasing the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Monitoring grip strength can help an individual make informed decisions about their health, improving or maintaining it, which can lead to better lifestyle choices. Early detection of declining grip strength can aid in prevention and promote a healthier life.
Benefits of Grip Strength
Grip strength is important because it serves as a reliable indicator of overall muscle health and functionality. It is also linked to the ability to perform everyday activities independently, which is crucial for maintaining a good quality of life, especially in older adults.
Additionally, stronger muscles and connective tissues are more resistant to injury. Practicing healthy behaviors early in life can help retain strength and function. Increased physical activity boosts muscle strength, enhances mental and physical health, and can contribute to extend life expectancy.
Measuring Your Grip Strength
To evaluate how the strength of one’s grip, a person stands and holds a grip strength device in your dominant hand with your arm at a right angle at your side. Squeeze the device as hard as you can and hold. These tests can be taken with your primary care provider at health care facilities or clinics. Additionally, the health and wellness team at Select Health regularly offers these simple tests for free at various community events across the state.
Normal grip strength ranges from 70-160 pounds for men and 40-100 pounds for women.
Reduced grip strength often indicates diminished muscle strength, which can lead to adverse health outcomes, particularly when combined with a chronic medical condition. Grip strength measurements serve as a valuable screening tool for evaluating overall muscle strength. A strong or weak hand grip can help assess the overall risk of death from any cause.
Ways to Increase Hand Grip Strength
- Improving grip strength involves exercises that require gripping, holding, or pulling: Simple exercises like squeezing a tennis ball or stress ball, wringing out a wet towel, hanging from a pull-up bar, lifting weights with pinched fingers, using hand grippers, and carrying dumbbells while walking.
- Stretch your hands and wrists, holding each stretch for at least five seconds.
- Use a rubber band to extend your fingers apart and then back together.
- Train each major muscle group two to three days per week using various methods such as weight training machines, free weights, resistance bands, or body weight.
- Push-ups, planks, and lunges engage most of the body’s muscle groups. Performing two to four sets of each, gradually increasing the intensity and allow at least 48 hours between strength training sessions for major muscle groups.
“Grip strength isn’t just about holding on – it’s a window into your health,” Quigley said. “By recognizing and nurturing your grip strength, you’re not just improving your grip—you’re investing in a healthier, more vibrant future for yourself.”
Strong grip strength correlates with better mobility, fewer falls, and enhanced resilience against injuries. By regularly monitoring and working to improve grip strength, individuals can ensure they retain their physical autonomy and reduce the risk of disabilities and health complications as they age.
About Intermountain Health
Headquartered in Utah with locations in six states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Health is a not-for-profit system of 34 hospitals, approximately 400 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a health plans division called Select Health with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For up-to-date information and announcements, please see the Intermountain Health newsroom at https://intermountainhealthcare.org/news.
