KEY POINTS

  • Dementia is a neurological condition that many people wouldn't want to suffer from
  • There are certain ways on how you may be able to reduce your risk of developing one
  • A hand test done at home can help determine your risk so that you may be able to implement precautionary measures

Dementia is one of the awful conditions that people wouldn’t want to suffer from. Many studies have been made about the condition, and most of the results revolved around the risk factors involved. According to many studies, the number one culprit behind the neurological condition is a person’s lifestyle.

Since one couldn’t exactly say whether he would fall into the state of having dementia at a later part in life, experts recommend using one hand exercise that will determine the risk. This hand exercise is said to give you a good overview of whether you are at risk of developing this condition.

Grip Strength Test

In Express' report, a recent study was published in Alzheimer’s Disease Journal, and it revealed that you could use a dynamometer device to help you determine your risk. This dynamometer is a handgrip, which could put the numbers on your grip strength, as well as upper body strength. The numbers from the dynamometer will give you a score, and through it, you would be able to assess the dementia risk factor.

dementia hand exercise to determine risk
dementia hand exercise to determine risk sabinevanerp - Pixabay

As per the researchers, they had the hypothesis, which associated poor grip strength with cognitive impairment. This impairment is regarded as a precursor of dementia. The good part of the study is that it would open the doors for patients or individuals to take precautions in case their “grip strength” doesn’t meet the normal levels. This would help in reducing one’s risk and increase their chances of not suffering from the condition.

The Percentages

North Dakota State University experts showed that a reduction of 5kg from grip strength is correlated with an 18% increased chance of suffering from the disease. Because of these findings, the researchers are now encouraging physicians to include grip strength when trying to assess cognitive functions.

Other ways on how you can keep your mind healthy and reduce your risk of developing dementia are to engage in mentally challenging activities. You must not stop reading and learning. These activities will help keep the brain functioning at their optimum levels and also help prevent cognitive impairment. An active mind and body could certainly help ward off the onset of dementia.

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