Grip Strength – A Determinant of Health

A weak grip is more than just a determinant of strength. Harvard Health published an article stating that grip strength may also help measure an individual’s risk for cardiovascular disease, such as heart attacks, stroke or early death. Grip strength was measured in 140,000 adults in 17 countries over 4 years, using a dynamometer. When a person’s grip strength decreased by 11 pounds, it was correlated with a 16% higher risk of dying from any cause, 17% higher risk of death from a heart disease, a 9% higher risk of stroke and a 7% higher risk of heart attack. Based on studies, grip strength has shown to be a better predictor of potential death or cardiovascular disease than blood pressure!

Now knowing the importance of this measurement, it’s imperative that people incorporate it in regular exercise routines. This includes resistance training geared to improving your overall grip strength, which can be measured by a dynamometer. However, you don’t have to limit yourself to lifting weights. There are simpler ways that grip strength can improve, even in your own household. Bands, stress balls and even buckets of rice have shown to be everyday exercises you can incorporate without having to go to the gym.

People, especially athletes, looking to improve their grip strength should also consider seeing a Chiropractor. A study done on Judo Athletes found that competitors who received 1-3 neck adjustments by a chiropractor noticed an improvement in grip strength than those who had sham (fake) adjustments to their neck. Grip strength was shown to improve up to 17% as a result of regular neck adjustments. This shows that regular Chiropractic care can be vastly beneficial in improving something that we now understand as an important determinant of health.

You Mississauga Chiropractors enjoy seeing you functioning and healing at your best. This also includes making sure that you’re not just free of symptoms, but most importantly that we’re taking preventative precautions to provide a healthier future as well. If you would like to book an appointment with one of our Chiropractors today, please call us at (905)821-4951.

References:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/grip-strength-may-provide-clues-to-heart-health-201505198022

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22079053

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22079053