Recent studies continue to confirm what physiologists and geriatricians have been saying for years: your handshake could be a window into your well-being.
Grip strength is measured using a dynamometer, a simple device that calculates the force exerted by your hand. While traditionally associated with athletes or manual laborers, researchers now recognize its broader implications. A 2024 review in The Lancet Healthy Longevity reaffirmed that lower grip strength is correlated with higher risks of cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, and even premature death.
Why does this matter? Because strength tends to decline with age, and grip strength often drops first. But if your hands are strong, you can do more, lift more and stay independent!
Unlike more complex diagnostics, grip strength is easy to test anywhere. For older adults, weak grip strength has been linked to decreased mobility, greater risk of falls, and longer hospital stays.
But this isn’t just about the elderly. In younger populations, poor grip strength can point to sedentary lifestyles, poor nutrition, or early signs of chronic conditions. One 2023 study from McMaster University found that teenagers with below average grip strength were more likely to develop metabolic disorders in early adulthood.
We can also look at grip strength in children. Children with lower grip strength are more likely to have higher body fat percentages, lower levels of physical activity, and an increased risk of metabolic and cardiovascular problems later in life. In 2023, a large-scale study published in Pediatrics examined over 4,000 children age 6 to 17 and found a strong correlation between grip strength and markers of cardiometabolic health such as blood pressure and insulin sensitivity.
Several studies have documented a decline in grip strength among children over the past few decades, likely due to more sedentary lifestyles and increased screen time. One British study comparing grip strength in 10-year-olds in 1998 and 2014 found a 20% decline over that period. Poor grip strength in children can also affect fine motor skills like writing, using scissors, tying shoelaces—skills critical to academic success and independence.
The good news? Grip strength is highly trainable. Simple resistance exercises such as squeezing a stress ball, carrying groceries without assistance, or doing deadlifts and pull-ups can all help improve hand strength. What does this look like in children? Activities like climbing, monkey bars, tug of war, and even modeling clay can boost hand strength.
Building strength is valuable at every age, and even basic routines lay the foundation for lifelong health. Grip strength may not make headlines often, but paying attention to it now could be the key to preventing larger health challenges later.
Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 785-628-9430 or moniquek@ksu.edu.
