Research indicates grip strength is a direct reflection of your health—and vitality.

According to a study conducted over a period of 25 years, the hand grip strength of mid-life males was highly predictive of their overall health and well-being in the later years of life.  Those who had good muscle strength in mid-life were found to be less likely to suffer from disabilities 25 years later.*

It is important to understand that having a strong and healthy hand does not cause fewer disabilities in old age. Rather, it says something about your overall muscle status, and whether you have led an active, healthful lifestyle in your young/midlife years.  Your hand grip strength is one way of knowing how well you’re doing on this score.

_{*Taina Rantanen et al., “Midlife Hand Grip Strength as a Predictor of Old Age Disability,” The Journal of the American Medical Assn. 281 (6): 558–560 (1999).}