DYNAMOMETER
Is grip strength related to longevity? Before we can answer this question, let’s start by defining grip strength. It is the force or pressure that your hand, wrist, and forearm muscles exert when squeezing or holding an object. This strength naturally begins to decline around age 50. Research shows that grip strength is a strong predictor of longevity and overall health, with studies linking weak grip strength to higher mortality risks and chronic diseases. A study, published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, found during a 12-month period that people with weaker grip strengths had a 45% higher risk of dying than those with stronger grips.1
One study went so deep as to say there is a significant association between handgrip strength and several age-related laboratory parameters. It’s suggested that testing handgrip strength using a hand-held dynamometer could serve as a cost-effective, non-invasive predictor of aging-related health. A strong grip becomes an important indicator of overall health, including muscle strength, bone density, and heart health status in older adults.2
Grip strength is not the end-all, be-all for longevity. It’s one of several measures we use to look at our overall health. One step we can take is to improve our hand, wrist, and forearm muscles. Here are a few exercise suggestions: squeezing a stress ball or tennis ball, towel wringing, reverse wrist curl (sitting with forearms on knees, holding a weight with palms facing down and curling the wrists up and down), chin ups, and deadlift.3
The Burnt Store Marina Fitness Center has many options for improving your overall fitness. Check out the calendar of classes!
1 Handgrip strength as a potential indicator of aging: insights from its association with aging-related laboratory parameters. Geriatric Division, Department of internal Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia.
2 http://www.prevention.com, Scientists Find That Your Grip Strength May indicate Longevity, by Korin Miller, June 20, 2025.
3 http://www.goodrx.com, The 8 Best Grip-Strength Exercises for Better Hand Health and Fitness, by Kim Grundy, PT, January 16, 2026.
