Stronger hand grips may lead to longer life in older women
A new study suggests that older women with stronger hand grips tend to live longer.
Researchers followed more than 5,400 women aged 63 to 99 for about eight years and found that those with the firmest grips had a much lower risk of dying from any cause.
Every 7kg boost in grip strength reduces death risk
For every 7kg boost in grip strength, the chance of death dropped by 12%.
This pattern held up even after accounting for things like age, activity level, and body weight.
The study adjusted for walking-aid use in its models.
Even those who weren't super active saw an advantage.
Quick chair stands matter, but grips are the star here
While being able to stand from a chair quickly was linked to slightly lower risk, this wasn't as consistent as grip strength.
So if you're thinking about healthy aging (for yourself or your loved ones), working on grip might be more important than you'd expect.