Grip Strength

What is Grip Strength?

Maximum force generated by hand/forearm muscles in kg

Why Grip Strength Matters

Strong predictor of all-cause mortality, muscle mass, and frailty. Declines with age. Simple assessment of overall muscle function.

How to Optimize Grip Strength

Grip strength is the maximum force your hand and forearm muscles can generate when squeezing, typically measured in kilograms or pounds using a handheld dynamometer. While seemingly a simple test of hand strength, grip strength is remarkably powerful as a biomarker of overall muscle strength, physical function, and general health status. It provides a window into total-body muscle mass and neuromuscular function, making it one of the most practical and predictive health measurements available.

The measurement is performed by squeezing a dynamometer with maximum effort for 3-5 seconds, typically repeated 2-3 times per hand with the best score recorded. Standard positioning involves standing with arm at side and elbow at 90 degrees. Grip strength naturally peaks in the third decade of life and declines thereafter, losing approximately 1% per year after age 50 in sedentary individuals. However, this decline is substantially attenuated by resistance training and maintaining muscle mass.