Technology use may have weakened grip strength of millennials

Frequent usage of technology at work and play and in leisure activities may have weakened grip strength of the millennials, suggests new research.

The researchers at Winston-Salem State University in the US evaluated the grip strength of 237 people between the ages of 20-34 and compared the findings to a study conducted in 1985.

The results revealed that, on an average, the hand strength of young males has decreased by 20 pounds of force, and the hand strength of females has decreased by 10 pounds of force.

"Millennials -- individuals born after 1980 -- report a frequent usage of technology in work, play, and leisure activities. That appears to have had an impact on their grip," Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy Elizabeth Fain said in a university statement.

The findings, published in the Journal of Hand Therapy, suggest that millennials may have significantly weaker hands and arms than people of their age 30 years ago.

While Fain has concluded the first phase of this study, she has already begun work on a second phase. She is expanding her research to focus on the correlation of grip strength with other health issues, including dementia.

She is also working with Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center to help determine how various types of skin grafts impact a patient's grip strength and functional skills, the statement added.

--IANS

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