Better Handgrip Strength Is Related to the Lower Prevalence of Pain and Anxiety in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract

Although handgrip strength (HGS) may be treated as a biomarker of many health problems, there is little evidence on the potential role of HGS in the prevention of pain or anxiety in older adults. We investigated the relationship of HGS to the presence of pain and anxiety among community-dwelling older adults. The study was performed in 2038 outpatients, aged 60 to 106 years. The Jamar hand-held hydraulic dynamometer was used to measure HGS. The prevalence of pain and anxiety was assessed with the Euroqol 5D questionnaire. Symptoms of depression were recorded with 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). In the multivariate logistic regression model taking into account age, sex, BMI and concomitant diseases, the significant influence of HGS on the presence of pain (odds ratio [OR] = 0.988) in the entire study population and among men (OR = 0.983) was found. HGS was a significant independent predictor for the presence of anxiety in the entire study population (OR = 0.987), in women (OR = 0.985) and in men (OR = 0.988). In the fully adjusted model with included GDS, 1 kg higher HGS was still associated with 1.2% and 1.3% lower probability of the presence of pain and anxiety, respectively. We conclude that low HGS is associated with the presence of pain and anxiety among older adults, independent of age, sex, depression symptoms and concomitant chronic diseases. Future research should assess whether improvement of HGS would alleviate psychological dysfunction in older adults.

Keywords: anxiety; elderly; handgrip; pain; quality of life.

Figure 1

Comparison of the presence of pain by sex with a specific HGS cut-off points: in men with HGS < 27 (n = 40) and ≥ 27 kg (n = 534) and in women with HGS < 16 (n = 210) and HGS ≥ 16 kg (n = 1254). Chi² score for men: p = 0.0858; Chi² score for women: p = 0.0674.

Figure 2

Comparison of the presence of anxiety by sex with specific HGS cut-off points: in men with HGS < 27 (n = 40) and ≥ 27 kg (n = 534) and in women with HGS < 16 (n = 210) and HGS ≥ 16 kg (n = 1254). Chi² score for men: p < 0.001; Chi² score for women: p = 0.0013.