Is Grip Strength a Significant Factor Toward Your Overall Health and Longevity?
What does the Research Say?
A recent surge in research is showing convincingly that grip strength is an important factor toward overall health and longevity. The exact reasons are not well understood; however the research is showing that individuals as young as 8 years of age to those in their retirement years all demonstrate positive health benefits.
For the young, researchers in Denmark showed that healthy grip strength levels led to children having overall improved muscle mass and general strength in all body areas (1). For adults and seniors, higher grip strength scores corelated with reduced rates of cognitive decline (dementia), reduced rates of diabetes, heart disease, and overall physical decline (2). Several studies have shown that age-related muscle loss (also known as sarcopenia) is associated with the development of osteoarthritis, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, cognitive decline and even cancer (3-5).
For those battling with shoulder or elbow injuries or pain, grip strength is an important factor for Rotator cuff function, and tennis elbow (6-7).
So, what to do about all this talk on grip strength?
In terms of treating pain or injuries, several simple and innovative tools are available to facilitate your recovery. Conveniently, these same approaches can be used as a part of your overall health and wellness plan.
At Active Living Chiropractic, we incorporate these methods as part of a treatment plan for shoulder and elbow pain, as well as for those who are searching for practical and effective methods to enhance their own health and longevity. Advice to parents can also be given to foster this development in their children. Follow this link to see these methods in action.
Get a grip toward a healthy lifestyle!
Written by Dr. David Urness
Wind, A.E., Takken, T., Helders, P.J.M. et al. Is grip strength a predictor for total muscle strength in healthy children, adolescents, and young adults?. Eur J Pediatr 169, 281–287 (2010).
Halaweh, H. (2020). Correlation between Health-Related Quality of Life and Hand Grip Strength among Older Adults. Experimental Aging Research, 46(2), 178–191.
Kishimoto H, et al. Midlife and late-life handgrip strength and risk of cause-specific death in a general Japanese popu- lation: the Hisayama Study. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2014;68:663–8.
Suwa M et al. Age-related reduction and independent predictors of toe flexor strength in middle-aged men. J Foot Ankle Res. 2017;10:15
Mainous A, et al. Grip strength as a marker of hypertension and diabetes in healthy weight adults. Am J Prev Med. 2015;49:850–8.
Horsley I, Herrington L, Hoyle R, Prescott E, Bellamy N. Do changes in hand grip strength correlate with shoulder rotator cuff function? Shoulder & Elbow. 2016;8(2):124-129
Effect of Eccentric versus Concentric Exercise on Pain, Grip Strength and Function in Lateral Epicondylitis - A Comparative Study International Journal of Science and Healthcare Research Vol.5; Issue: 2; April-June 2020
