The strength of the handshake is an indication of an increased risk of death. A research team from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Laxenburg has now analyzed the values above which it becomes dangerous for men and women of different ages and heights.
“Handle strength is a cheap and easy test to perform, but it can help detect health problems early,” says Nadia Steiber of the University of Vienna. She has been working on handshake reference values for different groups of people for years. Monitoring these values is useful because they can provide clues about the condition of larger populations in an aging society. Specifically, the strength of the hand pressure is measured with a so-called dynamometer. The result is given in kilograms.
Men squeeze harder than women
In a previous study, Steiber had already established that men between the ages of 30 and 49 can press an average of about 54 kilograms internationally. For women between the ages of 35 and 44, that is only around 34.5 kilograms. With increasing age (between 65 and 69 years) these values decreased on average.
No benefit from training
In the current study, Steiber and her research team – Sergei Scherbov (IIASA) and Sonja Spitzer (University of Vienna) – did not compare the handshake strengths of healthy and sick people, but always compared people of the same sex, age and size. Across all groups, values just below the mean were associated with a higher mortality risk.
Conversely, an above-average handshake is not associated with a significantly lower risk. Targeted training in this area therefore has no advantages. “Our results make it clear that handgrip strength is a very accurate and sensitive measure of underlying health conditions. Therefore, we recommend using it as a screening tool in medical practice,” Steiber concludes. The results are published in the journal BMJ Open.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
