Grip strength has long been considered a valuable proxy for overall health, and health experts say you can even test your own at home with a simple test.
Joshua Davidson, a strength and conditioning researcher at the University of Derby, says you can obtain a rough assessment of your grip strength by performing an at-home “squeeze test” with a stress ball or tennis ball.
“All you need is any object that you can grasp and can be deformed without causing pain or discomfort,” said Davidson, per the BBC.
“Simply squeeze it for as long as you can before your grip fatigues. Being able to maintain a maximal squeeze on something like a tennis ball for 15-30 seconds would be a good standard to strive for.”
A firm grip is associated with overall strength and longevity. Dr. Darryl Leion, a cardiologist at McMaster University in Canada, says a stronger grip positively correlates with a reduced risk of premature death.
However, it does not mean training your grip strength alone will improve your health. Instead, stronger grips are often a byproduct of a healthy body. Similarly, a weak group is linked to physical disability and premature death from health conditions like heart disease.
Leong says grip strength can provide insight into a person’s overall muscular strength, potentially reflecting one’s nutrition and physical activity. Poor grip strength can also mean you are dealing with illnesses.
“This is the reason it’s associated with so many health outcomes,” said Leong.
Even something as simple as a handshake can be informative, says Guillaume Paré, a practicing physician and a professor of medicine at McMaster University.
“Weaker handshakes where fingers struggle to close completely around my hand, or where hand muscles are emaciated, are red flags,” said Paré.