Handgrip Strength Asymmetry and Weakness Are Associated With Future Morbidity Accumulation in Americans

Abstract

Identifying strength asymmetries in physically deconditioned populations may help in screening and treating persons at risk for morbidities linked to muscle dysfunction. Our investigation sought to examine the associations between handgrip strength (HGS) asymmetry and weakness on accumulating morbidities in aging Americans. The analytic sample included 18,506 Americans aged $50 years from the 2006-2016 Health and Retirement Study. Handgrip strength was measured on each hand with a handgrip dynamometer, and persons with an imbalance in strength .10% between hands had HGS asymmetry. Men with HGS ,26 kg and women with HGS ,16 kg were considered as weak. Subjects reported the presence of healthcare provider-diagnosed morbidities: hypertension, diabetes, cancer, chronic lung disease, cardiovascular disease, stroke, arthritis, and psychiatric problems. Covariate-adjusted ordinal generalized estimating equations analyzed the associations for each HGS asymmetry and weakness group on future accumulating morbidities. Of those included in our study, subjects at baseline were aged 65.0 6 10.2 years, 9,570 (51.7%) had asymmetric HGS, and 996 (5.4%) were weak. Asymmetry alone and weakness alone were associated with 1.09 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04-1.14) and 1.27 (CI: 1.11-1.45) greater odds for future accumulating morbidities, respectively. Having both HGS asymmetry and weakness was associated with 1.46 (CI: 1.29-1.65) greater odds for future accumulating morbidities. Handgrip-strength asymmetry, as another potential indicator of impaired muscle function, is associated with future morbidity status during aging. Exercise professionals and related practitioners should consider examining asymmetry and weakness with handgrip dynamometers as a simple and noninvasive screening method for helping to determine muscle dysfunction and future chronic disease risk.

Handgrip strength weakness and asymmetry together are associated with cardiovascular outcomes in older outpatients: A prospective cohort study

“…The “10% rule” was first proposed in the 1950s, indicating that the difference in HGS between dominant and non‐dominant hands was approximately 10% 17 . Numerous studies associated with HGS asymmetry applied the definition of an HGS ratio >10% 7–10,18–21 . Accordingly, HGS asymmetry was considered as an HGS ratio <0.90 or >1.10, and HGS symmetry was classified as an HGS ratio between 0.90 and 1.10 in the present study.…”

“…17 Numerous studies associated with HGS asymmetry applied the definition of an HGS ratio >10%. [7][8][9][10][18][19][20][21] Accordingly, HGS asymmetry was considered as an HGS ratio <0.90 or >1.10, and HGS symmetry was classified as an HGS ratio between 0.90 and 1.10 in the present study.…”

Low handgrip strength with or without asymmetry is associated with elevated all‐cause mortality risk in older Chinese males

“…This finding is partly consistent with previously reported results. Specifically, previous studies have reported that low HGS is linked to an increased risk of all‐cause mortality, 18,19,28,29 and the coexistence of low HGS and HGS asymmetry in older adults often indicates the presence of severe muscular dysfunction, rather than low HGS or HGS asymmetry seen individually, increasing the risk of adverse health outcomes in older adults 7,11,30 . But another study reported that females rather than males with HGS asymmetry had shorter time‐to‐death intervals 18 .…”

Risk factors associated with weak and asymmetric handgrip strength in older Chinese adults

“…Chen, Ho, & Chau, 2022). The presence of both HGS weakness and HGS asymmetry in older adults usually signifies more advanced muscle dysfunction relative to either of these conditions in isolation, exacerbating the risk of adverse health outcomes during aging (L. Klawitter, Vincent, et al, 2022;Lin et al, 2022;McGrath, Cawthon, et al, 2020;McGrath, Tomkinson, et al, 2020;McGrath, Vincent, et al, 2021). Therefore, it is important to pay close attention to instances of comorbid HGS weakness and HGS asymmetry in older populations.…”