The Easiest Way to Measure Grip Strength

Grip strength is a measure of forearm muscular strength. People seek to measure, test and improve their grip strength for performing simple daily tasks, for health reasons and training reasons. Before we dive into how to measure your grip strength the easiest way, we will go step by step by first explaining what grip strength exactly means. In this article we will go over what grip strength is, why you should measure your hand grip strength, and how you can measure your grip strength at home.

What is grip strength?

Grip strength correlates with how firmly and securely you can hold onto things, and how heavy the things you can grip are. Grip strength is often under-appreciated, even though it is essential to everyday life like when bringing in groceries or opening a jar, for example. The easiest way to measure your grip strength is by using a hand dynamometer. Then you can improve your grip strength over time. Many sport professionals or simply fitness enthusiasts that understand the importance of their grip strength and what it tells about their overall health, measure their grip strength and work on it to improve it by performing different exercises or using grippers (also called hand grippers).

Why is grip strength important?

Hand grip strength assesses the amount of force a person can generate with their grip. Measuring a person’s hand grip strength, researchers and medical professionals are able to predict certain health conditions, among which the most common are cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

Measuring Grip Strength for Health

Measuring Grip Strength is quick and easy to do even at home. Using a hand dynamometer you can quickly and easily measure and keep track of your grip strength in order to assess your overall health. If you want to get a more detailed analysis and professional medical advice on specific health conditions grip strength correlates to and ways to improve it, you can consult with medical practices that offer the service of measuring one’s grip strength using a hand dynamometer.

Mobility, cognitive function, bone mineral density, and heart health are just a few health indicators grip strength is associated with.

How can you measure grip strength the right way?

The easiest and most reliable way to measure grip strength is by using a digital hand dynamometer. No matter if you are a physical therapist, certified hand therapist, occupational therapist, general medicine practitioner, other type of medical professional, or simply want to test your grip strength on your own, using a hand dynamometer is the simplest way to measure isometric grip force or hand grip strength.

The first step to take is to look for an accurate, affordable and easy to use hand dynamometer. Owning a hand dynamometer will enable you to keep track of your grip strength over time and work on it regularly to improve it. If you are a medical professional or a gym owner, consider purchasing a hand dynamometer to add additional value to the services you provide. Once you have found a reliable hand dynamometer, follow these steps to perform an accurate reading of the results.

Refer to the grip strength reference chart provided in the user manual to compare your results with the average grip strength of healthy individuals.

*A standard grip strength test will follow these steps but we always advise to read the instruction manual that comes with your hand dynamometer first.             

Testing your grip strength is very straightforward and easy to do if you are using a digital hand dynamometer. The LCD display with white backlight makes it very easy to read the results. A lot of sport professionals use hand grippers then test their grip strength with a dynamometer. A hand gripper may be used for building muscles or for health reasons. No matter what the purpose, the easiest way to track your progress is to use a hand dynamometer.