Grip strength is related to and predictive of other health conditions, although the relationship is not fully known to be caused by advancing chronological age.

Normal hand grip strength is positively related to normal bone mineral density in post-menopausal women. Some researchers suggest that poor grip strength to be a screening tool for women at risk of osteoporosis. Longitudinal studies suggest that poor grip strength is predictive of increased mortality from cardiovascular disease and from cancer in men, even when factors of muscle mass and body mass index are adjusted for.

Hand grip strength is negatively associated with physical frailty even when the effects of body mass index (BMI) and arm muscle circumference are removed. Researchers have suggested that the factor related to frailty and disability in later life is the manner in which muscles are used. Grip strength can be measured with the use of a hand dynamometry tool.

Supporting this research evidence is provided that shows grip strength is largely consistent as a explanation of overall strength, upper limb function, bone mineral density, fractures, falls, malnutrition, cognitive impairment, depression, sleep problems, diabetes, multimorbidity and quality of life. Evidence is also provided for a predictive link between grip strength and all-cause and disease-specific mortality, future function, bone mineral density, fractures, cognition and depression, and problems associated with hospitalization.

Consequently, the routine use of grip strength can be recommended as a stand-alone measurement or as a component for measuring and older adults as a risk of poor health status.

There are different methods of positioning patients during measurement, and for calculating their grip strength from repeated measurements, so the American Society for Surgery of the Hand and the American Society of Hand Therapists have standardized positioning instruction and grip strength calculations. See the article Hand Grip Strength (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.)