A Strong Grip for a Longer Life
A strong grip is associated with a healthier, longer life.
A strong grip is associated with a healthier, longer life.
The human hand plays a vital role in our activities of daily living. Each digit (fingers and thumb) is uniquely used to allow us to hold, grab, pinch, twist, tap, and press objects as well as perform many variations of these actions. The hand is also instrumental in helping us perform numerous free-weight exercises by providing us with the means to grip and hold a barbell, dumbbell, kettlebell, medicine ball, or any other free weight object.
Our ability to grip these objects allows us to train for various desired outcomes that help improve our health and wellbeing. Beyond this, the better grip we have results in our ability to lifting more weight, which is vital for increasing strength and muscle mass as well as overall health.
In fact, research has shown that our grip strength has a direct correlation to our health and all-cause mortality. Weaker grip strength has a strong correlation with increased all-cause mortality rates plus many adverse health conditions such as cardiovascular and respiratory disease as well as outcomes from cancer. These associations are similar for both genders and across age groups including adolescents, middle-aged, and elderly. Not only is grip strength associated with these conditions, but it has been shown to have a stronger association than systolic blood pressure or total physical activity (e.g., how much walking you do).
Beyond the diseases mentioned, weaker grip strength is also associated with a higher risk of falls for the elderly. Falls can lead to fractures of the hip and spine, which can often be fatal for the elderly. Moderate to severe fractures in the vertebrae of the spine as well other bones have also been shown to be associated with a weaker grip strength even without a major difference in muscle mass.
So keep moving, but it may be a good idea to grab a barbell, dumbbell, or kettlebell and do some lifting to work on that grip strength.
References
Celis-Morales, C. A., Welsh, P., Lyall, D. M., Steell, L., Petermann, F., Anderson, J., Iliodromiti, S., Sillars, A., Graham, N., Mackay, D. F., Pell, J. P., Gill, J., Sattar, N., & Gray, S. R. (2018). Associations of grip strength with cardiovascular, respiratory, and cancer outcomes and all cause mortality: prospective cohort study of half a million UK Biobank participants.?BMJ (Clinical research ed.),?361, k1651. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k16514
Szulc, P., Feyt, C., & Chapurlat, R. (2015). High risk of fall, poor physical function, and low grip strength in men with fracture-the STRAMBO study. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 7(3), 299–311. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12066