Get a grip!
Grip strength measures the force you exert with your hands when holding or squeezing an object. Weaker grip strength is often associated with frailty, and studies suggest that it may be linked to diabetes and a higher risk of cognitive decline, dementia, heart failure and stroke.
A study out of Norway even indicated that grip strength in people in their 80s and 90s may predict their likelihood of becoming a centenarian.
There are a few ways to gauge grip strength — such as a pricey handgrip dynamometer and the hanging bar method. Joshua Davidson, a researcher at the University of Derby in England who studies hand grip strength, instead recommends an easy squeeze test with a tennis or stress ball.
“All you need is any object that you can grasp and can be deformed without causing pain or discomfort,” Davidson told the BBC.
“Simply squeeze it for as long as you can before your grip fatigues,” he added. “Being able to maintain a maximal squeeze on something like a tennis ball for 15 to 30 seconds would be a good standard to strive for.”
A study published last week in the journal Scientific Reports called grip strength “a key biomarker for assessing the overall health of older adults.”
Grip strength tends to decline with age — typically starting around 50 — due to the natural loss of muscle mass.
The study authors noted that certain factors can accelerate this process. Malnutrition can result in muscle wasting, chronic diseases like diabetes significantly affect muscle metabolism and function, and cognitive impairment can disrupt the brain’s ability to control and coordinate muscle movements.
We should start monitoring grip strength around 45, said Nathan LeBrasseur, director of the Mayo Clinic’s Kogod Center on Aging.
“It’s important to be very proactive in this period for healthy aging,” LeBrasseur told Time last week.
LeBrasseur recommends tracking grip strength or the ability to climb stairs every few months.
If you notice numbers trending in the wrong direction, be sure to tell your doctor.
Grip strength is not a comprehensive diagnostic tool on its own, but “grip weakness might be downstream of other problems,” an epidemiologist told Time.
Ways to improve grip strength
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans states that adults should aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two days of muscle strengthening a week.
There are three types of grip strength to focus on — crush, pinch and support, fitness experts told Prevention.
Crush is the strength needed to squeeze an object between your fingers and palm. Squeeze a tennis or racquet ball three times in each hand or wring a wet towel in each direction for three sets.
A pinch grip is when your thumb and one or more fingers hold a small object. Try grabbing a barbell plate with your fingers and thumb, holding it at your side for 20 to 30 seconds.
Support grip is the ability to firmly hold an item for a while. Hang from a pull-up bar for as long as you can or carry hefty grocery bags until your hands grow tired.
