Grip strength as a health indicator – How to improve it?

Grip strength – What are the findings?

As simple and effortless as the handshake may seem, there are as many as 35 muscles – extending from the elbow to the fingertips – responsible for its performance and grip strength. These muscles tend to be active on a daily basis, as everyone engages their hands and forearms in a wide variety of tasks and activities. As a result, the fitness of these muscle groups, which is measured by grip strength, can serve as a reliable indicator of overall health and fitness. In fact, there have been numerous studies that have supported this hypothesis, providing ample evidence of correlations between grip strength and sociodemographic characteristics as well as specific ailments and conditions.

Research findings

The researchers from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Laxenburg have demonstrated that grip strength correlates with the gender, age and height of the test subjects.

• On average, men between the ages of 20 and 29 achieved a higher value of grip strength (46 kg) in comparison to women (29 kg).
• For both genders, grip strength significantly declined with age, reaching 39 kg and 23.5 kg, respectively, among subjects in the 60-69 age range.
• A higher height also correlated with greater grip strength in all age groups.

Based on the data gathered, the researchers observed that a below-average grip strength may be indicative of an increased risk of death from various causes. Still, they did not prove that the above-average grip strength would reduce this risk. Further studies have also demonstrated that a lower grip strength may be a symptom of cardiovascular disease (whether diagnosed or not), type 2 diabetes, degenerative spinal changes, cancer, but also cognitive disorders or depression.

How to measure grip strength?

Grip strength is measured with a dynamometer, in other words, a force gauge. It consists of squeezing the device with full force and holding the grip for 5-6 seconds. For an accurate result, the measurements are taken several times in order to calculate the mean in kilograms from the values obtained. This test can be carried out by a physiotherapist or rehabilitation therapist, as force gauges are an essential piece of equipment in their practices. Measuring grip strength forms one of the standard motor functional tests of the hand.

When measuring grip strength, it is best to treat the result as a general indicator – much like measuring blood pressure. This parameter relies on the individual disposition on the day. An abnormally low score may not directly indicate a life and health risk; however, its regular occurrences may indicate that you should pay more attention to your fitness and lifestyle. Similarly to measuring the pressure, the grip strength test can be regarded as an ‘indicator of longevity’. Abnormal results combined with other medical information may serve as an indication for further testing.

Who should pay attention to grip strength?

Although grip strength represents an important indicator of our overall health, at the same time it cannot be its only determinant. Increasing or decreasing grip strength is a holistic process, driven by daily lifestyle, type of work, level of physical activity and exercise or lack thereof. That is why people with lower muscle mass, those with sedentary lifestyles, and those exposed to stress and lifestyle diseases, are likely to have lower grip strength compared to, for example, manual workers, athletes or people who are active on a daily basis.

Every day we develop grip strength by performing various activities with our hands and forearms:

• carrying groceries – similar to a ‘farmer's walk’,
• unscrewing jars – testing hand and finger strength,
• manual activities – incorporating some of the movement patterns found in gym exercises.

These activities have an impact on grip strength and therefore can be considered as an indicator of the state of your health.

Grip strength and sport

Grip strength has a vital role to play in many sports. No matter the level of training, it is up to our grip to determine whether we are capable of making a specific effort:

• If we want to be able to lift heavier weights at the gym, we need to be able to hold them in our hands.
• If we want to pull up on a bar, we should then be able to stay in an overhang.
• If we are tackling a climbing wall, we need strong fingers.
• If we are getting over obstacles during our run of OCR – Obstacle Course Racing, our grip strength will (almost) always come in handy!

Where there is an element of grip strength involved in the sport we practice, it is worth focusing on developing it to avoid it becoming a hindrance to our skill development.

Due to the correlation of grip strength and indicators of strength and muscle mass, those returning to sport after a prolonged break due to chronic illness or injury ought to pay attention to it. A decrease in grip strength may be an indicator of a decrease in overall strength parameters and may suggest that the return to sport should be gradual,
using moderate loads.

Grip strength and health of the elderly

For the elderly, grip strength represents a very important indicator as it naturally decreases with age. In particular, low scores on this parameter may be indicative of sarcopenia – a rapid decrease in muscle strength leading to mobility difficulties, day-to-day functioning challenges and an increased risk of collapses and injuries. Sarcopenia may be caused either due to the ageing of the body (primary sarcopenia) or due to additional factors such as past illnesses or injuries, immobility or poor diet (secondary sarcopenia).

Grip strength training – how to practice?

Our health does not only depend on the strength of our forearms, but a good level of strength and muscle mass contributes to our wellbeing and increases our grip strength. This leads to a simple conclusion: if we want to have a stronger grip, then we must focus on strength training. Basic free-weight exercises such as deadlifts, barbell rowing during the descent or forearm bends will produce the desired effect. If grip strengthening has become an additional training goal, it is recommended to incorporate into the training sessions at the gym a variety of pull-ups on a bar, rope climbing or to introduce elements of rotation into basic movement patterns, such as the Zottman curl.

Body-weight exercises along with cardio training can also improve your grip strength. The first includes maximising the functional strength of the forearms in relation to body weight. The second – enhanced cardiorespiratory fitness that allows for a faster delivery of oxygen to the muscles involved in the grip. Grip strength can also be increased with NEAT – simple, daily activities performed on a regular basis, as long as they involve the hands and forearms.

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