Let's learn about... grip strength

Yes really, because the other day I struggled to open a jam jar and it got me researching.

Vaguely in the back of my mind I was aware that grip strength was correlated to wellbeing, but I had no idea how much. What I found out shocked me. But then I dug a little deeper…

According to the UCLA Health website, “research shows that grip strength is an important measure of overall health. In adults of all ages, it has been found to be a reliable predictor of muscle strength, muscle mass, bone mineral density and nutritional status. In older adults, grip strength is used as an indicator of vitality, and as an accurate predictor of a decline in physical and mental function.”

It even went on to link a range of “adverse health issues” to a decline in grip strength including heart disease, arthritis, osteoporosis, Type 2 diabetes, lowered immunity, and even some cancers. Yikes.

But what do we actually mean by grip strength?

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The most common definition seems to be the amount of force you have when you clench your hand around an object, ergo my example of being able to open a jam jar. Apparently you can measure it using a handheld device called a hand dynamometer, with the point being that this can be an easy indication of how strong the rest of your body is ie if you’re losing strength in your hands and arms, it could suggesr that it’s happening all over your body. As we get older, muscle is naturally replaced by fat tissue, ergo we can get weaker. It’s called sarcopenia.

According to an article in The Guardian, handgrip strength also acts as a biomarker for general health because of its relationship to so many other health-related variables, such as bone-mineral density, nutritional status, cognitive impairment, sleep problems and quality of life.

And yet, personally, I found this surprising. When articles toss in that grip strength can be a predictor of life expectancy, I start to think it all seems a touch dramatic! After all, I’ve just hiked around Japan with a 40 kilo backpack, have no problem with stairs, sleep like a baby, eat well, feel pretty good (albeit I could definitely do more exercise), but I do not feel weak, apart from that dratted jam jar.

Nonetheless, could my screw top struggle be an early indicator that I need to get busy with more targeted strength-building? My position on this to date has been that my general activity — with plenty of lifting and carrying (not least an aging 28kg hound into the car every day) — provides enough ‘weight-bearing exercise’ as per the peoples of the blue zones who resolutely do not have gym memberships.

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The Guardian article continued, “weak grip hints at poor musculoskeletal function throughout the body, which is a sign that the person is likely to be sedentary and does not do enough physical activity.” Hmm, really not true for me.

But, I don’t want to be complacent so I researched some easy daily exercises that could help. Nonetheless, here’s the flip side to all the negatives…