Losing your grip? Why changes in hand strength deserve attention

Opening a jar. Turning on the shower. Carrying the shopping inside.

We rarely think about the grip these tasks require until they become difficult. And when that happens, it can be tempting to put it down to getting older.

But a change in hand strength deserves attention, particularly when something you could previously do comfortably starts to become a struggle.

Speaking with Nick Rheinberger on ABC Illawarra, Joint Vision orthopaedic surgeon Dr Jasan Dannaway explained how grip strength relates to everyday independence, and why a decline can sometimes point to an underlying condition.

Listen to the ABC Illawarra interview

Dr Jasan Dannaway speaks with Nick Rheinberger about grip strength and hand health.

More than the strength of your hand

Grip strength is how firmly you can squeeze or hold something. Behind that seemingly simple action is a coordinated effort involving bones, joints, tendons, muscles and nerves.

Muscles generate force, tendons help move the fingers, and nerves carry the signals that control movement and provide sensation. A problem in any part of that system can affect how confidently you use your hand.

“So it’s not just about strength, but about coordination and feedback of those systems,” Dr Dannaway told ABC Illawarra.

That coordination helps us hold a handle, carry a bag or keep an object from slipping. When it changes, the impact can reach well beyond the hand itself.

What can grip strength tell us?

Grip strength can provide useful information about muscle strength, but it needs to be considered alongside other measures and the person’s circumstances.

In the interview, Dr Dannaway explained that age, sex and body size all matter when interpreting a result. A single measurement cannot tell you whether you are healthy or diagnose the reason your hand feels weaker.

Grip is commonly measured using a handheld device called a dynamometer. You squeeze the device, which records the force you produce.

Dr Dannaway, who worked as a physiotherapist before becoming an orthopaedic surgeon, described taking repeated measurements in a standardised position. Comparing the hands and tracking measurements over time can help clinicians understand changes.

The everyday experience matters too: what has become difficult, whether there is pain or altered sensation, and how the problem is affecting your activities.

Conditions that can affect your grip

During the ABC interview, Dr Dannaway described several conditions that can interfere with hand strength.

Arthritis at the base of the thumb can make gripping and pinching painful. Also known as first carpometacarpal, or first CMC, arthritis, it affects the joint where the thumb meets the wrist. Tasks such as opening jars or turning keys can become difficult as pain, stiffness and weakness develop.

Nerve compression can affect sensation and muscle function. Carpal tunnel syndrome is one example: pressure on the median nerve at the wrist can cause tingling, numbness and hand weakness. Nerve problems can also occur elsewhere, including around the elbow or in the neck.

Tendon and muscle injuries, along with inflammatory conditions affecting the joints, can also reduce grip or make it painful to use the hand.

These problems do not all need the same treatment. Understanding the cause is the first step towards deciding what might help.

Don’t dismiss an unexpected change

One of Dr Dannaway’s main messages in the interview was that people should not automatically attribute reduced grip strength to age.

He urged listeners to take an unexpected loss of ability seriously, particularly when they can no longer do something they previously managed.

Persistent numbness, increasing weakness or pain that interferes with everyday tasks are reasons to seek assessment. Dr Dannaway also explained that some nerve compression problems can lead to lasting changes in sensation or strength if they are left untreated.

For ongoing or gradually developing symptoms, a GP can help assess the problem and advise whether specialist review is appropriate.

Sudden new hand or arm weakness needs urgent medical attention. If it may be a stroke, including sudden one-sided weakness, facial drooping or difficulty speaking, call triple zero (000).

Can you improve grip strength?

Dr Dannaway’s advice was to consider grip as part of maintaining strength throughout the body.

In the ABC interview, he emphasised regular exercise and resistance training, explaining that using muscles consistently can help limit the decline in strength over time.

The aim is to support the activities you want and need to do. The appropriate exercise will depend on your current ability and any symptoms or underlying conditions.

If gripping causes pain, or you have numbness or unexplained weakness, have the cause assessed before trying to solve the problem by squeezing harder or lifting heavier weights.

Getting help with changes in hand strength

The goal of assessment is to understand what is affecting your hand and identify a suitable treatment plan.

As Dr Dannaway explained in his conversation with Nick Rheinberger, the wider aim is to help people keep the strength and confidence to do everyday activities and remain independent.

Dr Jasan Dannaway assesses and treats shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand conditions at Joint Vision Orthopaedic Group in Wollongong.

If pain, numbness or reduced grip is affecting your daily activities, speak with your GP about whether a referral is appropriate, or contact Joint Vision for information about arranging an appointment.

For patients

Is hand pain or weakness making everyday tasks harder?

Dr Jasan Dannaway assesses shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand conditions at Joint Vision in Wollongong. Speak with your GP about a referral, or contact our team for help arranging an appointment.

Enquire about an appointment

For referrers

Refer a patient for upper limb assessment

Dr Jasan Dannaway welcomes referrals for patients with reduced grip strength, hand pain, altered sensation and other shoulder, elbow, wrist or hand concerns. Please include relevant imaging, investigations and details of symptom progression.

Refer a patient