A Firm Handshake Could Mean a Longer, Healthier Life

Your hand grip strength may be a better predictor of early death or heart disease than your blood pressure.

An international study of 140,000 adults showed that people with less grip strength had a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, heart attack, and dying earlier than their stronger counterparts. The research suggests that hand grip strength could be an accurate way to measure the biological age of a person, or the age at which their body functions. Surprisingly, there wasn’t a relationship between hand grip strength and the risk for type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, and other chronic diseases.

Why would hand grip strength predict the likelihood of death? Experts believe a weak hand grip could indicate a person doesn’t have the necessary strength to survive a serious illness. But as with the sit-to-rise test, you can do something about a weak grip.



Find opportunities throughout the day to create muscle strength through walking,

lifting light weights, using resistance bands, and taking the stairs instead of elevators. A healthy diet can also help your body build more muscle.

If you’d like to take the hand grip strength test or talk about ways to build more muscle, call my office to schedule a consultation.