Imagine if a simple handshake could offer powerful insights into someone’s risk of gastrointestinal disease.This isn’t just a metaphor – grip strength has emerged as an indispensable data point for assessing and monitoring patients with complex health conditions, including gastrointestinal disease.
In this article, we explore several grip strength insights related to gastrointestinal disease.
Grip strength is a valuable indicator of functional health in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s Disease, as it reflects muscle strength compromised by malnutrition, inflammation, and metabolic changes.
Chronic inflammation and malnutrition in GI disorders lead to systemic muscle wasting which is reflected by a reduced grip strength.
This document explains how grip strength can be used in clinical practice to assess risk, progression and prognosis in patients with gastrointestinal disease.
“Grip strength is a key indicator of health; it’s a proxy for your overall strength and physical function.”
Peter Attia MD; Longevity Expert
Grip Strength and IBD: Identifying the Risk of Hospitalisation
Individuals with a reduced grip strength and pre-existing diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are 3.96 times more likely to have an IBD-related hospitalization (disease flare, surgery, or infection) than those with grip strength above the cutoff (<24.3 lbs* for females and <41.0 lbs* for males). [Bedard et al., 2023]
Decreased Risk of Gastrointestinal Disease
The UK biobank cohort study systematically assessed the association between grip strength values with a spectrum of 24 different gastrointestinal diseases. [Dan et al., 2024]
*Note that all cut off points have been converted to GripAble-equivalent measurements for consistency
Clinical Application
Measure grip strength during routine check-ups to assess risk factors and track trends over time.
For high-risk patients, consider providing a hand dynamometer for regular, at-home monitoring. Pay attention when grip strength drops below cut-off points or decreases by more than a quartile.
Patient Empowerment
Give patients access to their grip strength scores - a clear, tangible measure they can easily understand and actively improve with guidance.
Unlike blood pressure, grip strength is relatable and empowering, enabling patients to track their progress as a key indicator of their independence.
Practical Considerations
Use grip strength as a first-line test for objective assessments, guiding and supporting the interpretation of more invasive tests.
Reduce Utilization: better risk stratification and monitoring
Improve Patient Satisfaction: give patients a quick, non-invasive tool to monitor disease status and response to treatment at home
Support Risk Adjustment: quantify disease impact by using grip strength interpretation as an objective measurement of patient nutritional status and full body strength
For further reading, dive into our extensive collection of studies on using a hand dynamometer, grip strength and more here including:
Contribute: Partner with us in research or patient case studies to advance the knowledge of grip strength as a biomarker.
Understand: Get the essentials on hand dynamometry and how to integrate grip strength into your practice with our comprehensive guide.
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Website: www.able-care.co Email: hello@able-care.co
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