Contribution of Sport Type to the Association Between Handgrip Strength and Morbidity/Mortality: Future Follow-up Study and Possible Mechanisms

Despite significant research efforts to advance the field, the mechanisms underlying the association between handgrip strength (HGS) and morbidity and/or mortality still need to be fully understood. We focused on the debate in previous studies regarding the mechanism of this association and examined the impact of the main covariates utilized in those studies on HGS and morbidity and/or mortality. Physical activity has been extensively investigated in previous studies as a covariate to explain the association between HGS and morbidity and/or mortality, but no consensus has been reached that physical activity is a mediator explaining this association. Assessing people's complete lifetime physical activity history is a challenging task. To help better understand the association between the two, we proposed a research model that focuses on the type of sport played during the developmental period and explores their impact on morbidity and mortality in adulthood. Furthermore, if sport contributes to HGS improvements during development and influences morbidity and mortality, we also proposed mechanisms that could be considered in future studies. Unfortunately, further follow-up is needed before the success of this research model can be confirmed. Future studies would also be necessary to clarify the factors related to the future health benefits of improving HGS during development.