A Quick and Easy Test Could Signal if You Have Serious Health Issues and a Shortened Lifespan



Testing handgrip strength is a quick and simple way to figure out muscle strength, which is a key predictor of death. In a recent study, researchers developed cut-off points for the general population while also taking into account the relationship between gender, body height, and age and handgrip strength.

Most people take simple chores like carrying groceries or opening pickle jars for granted, but handgrip strength can be used as a screening tool for a number of medical conditions. Low handgrip strength has been linked to health issues as early as young adulthood. Handgrip weakness is not simply an indicator of underlying health issues for older persons. Numerous studies suggest that disorders associated with heart and lung problems may manifest as low handgrip strength. Additionally, studies have revealed that those with weak handgrips typically live shorter lives.

Scientifically solid cut-off points that apply to the entire population are required for clinical practice, as well as consideration of the relationship between gender, body height, and handgrip strength, as well as the decline in handgrip strength with age.

To determine at what level of handgrip strength a doctor should think about sending a patient for additional testing, Sergei Scherbov, a researcher at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Sonja Spitzer, a postdoctoral researcher at the Wittgenstein Centre for Demography and Global Human Capital and the University of Vienna, and Nadia Steiber, also from the University of Vienna, set out. The journal BMJ Open just published their findings. Doctors can identify patients who are more likely to pass away young by using the study's set cutoffs, which directly correlate handgrip strength to remaining life expectancy.

"In general, handgrip strength is influenced by a person's height, gender, and age. Our goal was to identify the handgrip strength threshold below which a practitioner would be advised to perform additional testing on the patient. It is comparable to taking your blood pressure. The doctor may decide to give a certain medication or refer the patient to a specialist for additional testing when the blood pressure is outside of a certain range, according to Scherbov.

By using one hand to squeeze a dynamometer, handgrip strength is determined. The patient is instructed to make two attempts with each hand for the study, with the best trial being utilized for measurement. This procedure has a unique protocol since, among other factors, the values could differ depending on whether the test was conducted while standing or sitting.

In contrast to past studies, the authors compared people's handgrip strength with those who are equivalent in terms of sex, age, and body height rather than with a healthy reference population. The results point to an increase in mortality risk at a more sensitive threshold than those predicted by past studies. In fact, the findings suggest that, when taking into account a person's sex, age, and body height, a handgrip strength that is just a little below the average of a comparable group is predictive of health issues that could cause an earlier death. It was not discovered that having a stronger grip relative to others your age, sex, and height would lower your mortality risk.

"Handgrip strength is a simple and inexpensive test, but it may aid in the early detection of illnesses and other underlying medical disorders. For the public health of aging populations, monitoring the handgrip strength of the elderly (and, in fact, middle-aged persons), may be quite beneficial. Our results demonstrate that handgrip strength is a highly sensitive and accurate indicator of underlying health issues. As a result, we recommend that it be utilized as a screening tool in clinical practice," adds Steiber.

"It's crucial to note that we are not advocating for people to focus on handgrip strength training in order to lower mortality risks. Most likely, there won't be any, or very little, effect on a person's general health if they increase their handgrip strength through exercising. Low muscle strength, which is linked to a higher risk of death, is reflected in low handgrip strength, which can be used as a sign of handicap. The best ways to maintain or improve long-term health are still living a balanced lifestyle and exercising, Spitzer writes.

By INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR APPLIED SYSTEMS ANALYSIS 

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