Frail handgrip is linked to poor health, claim health experts

Image for representational purpose only

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Medical experts claim that a handgrip could be effective for early detection of health problems that may lead to premature death.

Handgrip strength is a simple test, measured with a hand-held device. On average, handgrip strength peaks in the 30s and 40s and then declines with age.

"When individuals' handgrip falls below some reference value for their age group, sex and body height this can be taken as an indicator for practitioners that further health checks may be warranted," said Nadia Steiber from International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Laxenburg, Austria.

"The measurement of handgrip strength in clinical practice is a simple but efficient screening tool for health vulnerability. It comes at a very low cost," Steiber noted.

(With IANS inputs)