The hand is an important organ in the human body but we do not realise its importance unless we feel discomfort or pain in the wrists, hands, or arms that hampers our daily activities. When a person is unable to perform the normal activities of the day due to hand grip issues; then one should not ignore or neglect the situation. The issue requires immediate medical attention.
With the advancement in age, the hand grip strength of the individual decreases. Researchers believe that the right hand is stronger than the left one and the right side is at its peak during the age group 25-35 years for males and females.
Did you know that the strength in your grip is an indicator of your upper body health? So, even if your body appears to be strong but you face issues opening a simple jar or lifting objects/holding things then you require a medical examination of the hand. A systematic and standard method is used to assess and measure grip strength.
Handgrip strength is directly proportionate to the following parameters:
- Age
- Hand length, width, and span
- Upper arm and Forearm length
- Subcutaneous percentage of the arm
- Muscle mass percentage of the skeleton
- Hand circumference
- Free Testosterone level
Research conducted among healthy people has revealed that age and gender play a dominant role in predicting grip strength. Other factors like infection rate in the body, medical treatment, disease severity, comorbidities, and electrolyte imbalance also lead to muscle weakness in the human body.
Evaluation of grip and hand strength
In the field of Medical Science, Dynamometry is the term utilised for measuring grip strength through specialised medical instruments and equipment. It helps to detect muscle contraction strength.
The performance of our upper body is largely dependent upon pinch and hand grip. Hence, hand surgeons have to determine the functional capacity of the hand post any trauma or hand surgery. The determination is significant in measuring the success of hand surgeries too. The measurement also serves as an indicator of the functional status of hand strength and forearm musculature.
Dynamometers are effective devices for measuring hand grip. It is a non-invasive objective test of the hand grip. Research conducted among clinical and normal populations revealed the accuracy and productivity of Dynamometer measurement.
With advancements in technology, Medical Science experienced a change in the methods to measure grip strength as sophisticated motion sensors and virtual reality techniques have come to the fore.
Different types of handheld Dynamometers came into existence from time to time. These exposed diverse operating principles but fundamentally all the devices convert the mechanical force of forearm and hand musculature into quantifiable form. The design principle of the gadgets determined the accuracy of the results.
Final Thoughts
Hand grip and strength does play an important role in the overall wellness of the body. However, there are several exercises that can be helpful to regain the lost strength in the hands like squeezing MySquegg smart balls several times a day. It is a Bluetooth-enabled smart grip strengthening device that is super simple to use. The user can get the best benefits of the device by downloading the app on a smartphone for the perfect evaluation of grip strength. The app has amazing features that keep the user engaged and aids in tracking the progress of hand exercising.
It is one of the most beneficial and effective ways to get a strong grip. It is an easy hand therapy exercise that every individual can and should incorporate in daily routine to maintain the lifestyle activities unhampered.
Life-changing methods are sometimes very simple and within our range but our hectic routine keeps us unaware of the same until we are caught by unexpected clinical or accidental conditions/circumstances.