Stronger Hands May Mean Longer Life
Hand grip strength and all-cause mortality risk in individuals with decreased bone mass: a study from NHANES database
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Grip strength predicted mortality better than BMI or even some traditional cardiovascular risk factors in this group.
Most people assume weight, blood pressure, or cholesterol are the top predictors — but here, a simple hand squeeze outperformed them after adjustments.
Practical Takeaways
Buy a $15 hand grip dynamometer and test your grip twice a year — if you’re under 27kg (men) or 16kg (women) and have low bone mass, talk to your doctor about strength training.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Grip strength predicted mortality better than BMI or even some traditional cardiovascular risk factors in this group.
Most people assume weight, blood pressure, or cholesterol are the top predictors — but here, a simple hand squeeze outperformed them after adjustments.
Practical Takeaways
Buy a $15 hand grip dynamometer and test your grip twice a year — if you’re under 27kg (men) or 16kg (women) and have low bone mass, talk to your doctor about strength training.
Publication
Journal
Frontiers in Medicine
Year
2024
Authors
Hongdong Sun, Jiayi Liu, Ruirui Tan, Xiaomei Zhang, Xin Qian, Chenxi Qi, Wei Qi
Related Content
Claims (6)
For people with weak bones and heart disease, having weak hands is even more dangerous than for those with weak bones alone — their risk of dying is much higher.
Even when doctors account for age, weight, and other illnesses, weak hand grip still predicts higher death risk in people with weak bones — meaning it adds unique information.
People with weak hand grip and weak bones are much more likely to die sooner than those with stronger hands, even after accounting for other health problems.
The stronger your hand grip, the lower your chance of dying early — even small increases in grip strength are linked to better survival in people with weak bones.
People with weak bones and weak hands are more likely to also have diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure — suggesting their overall health is worse.