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• Posted February 5, 2026

Beyond Grip Strength: Study Shows Daily Movement is Key to Living Well With Osteoarthritis

For the millions of people with osteoarthritis, the ability to squeeze a handgrip may be less important to their quality of life than the ability to get out of a chair.

A study, published recently in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, examined data from more than 38,000 people over 50 to determine what physical factors most influenced their sense of autonomy, pleasure and fulfillment.

The researchers compared handgrip strength — a traditional marker of muscle health — against routine motor tasks such as standing up, walking and climbing stairs with patients' quality of life.

While folks with osteoarthritis generally have a weaker grip, the study found that hand power had very little to do with how patients evaluated their own lives.

Instead, the strongest signs of low well-being were difficulties performing simple, routine actions.

The study compared 7,600 people with osteoarthritis to 31,000 without it. Participants were from 28 European countries.

Quality of life was measured using a questionnaire that captures the extent to which respondents feel control, autonomy, fulfillment and pleasure in life.

"What we found was striking," said lead author Asima Karim, an associate professor at the University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. "While people with osteoarthritis had weaker grip strength and lower quality of life overall, it wasn’t grip strength that told the real story."

Instead, she said, everyday movements that many people take for granted — especially getting up from a chair, walking and climbing stairs — are what truly define a person’s sense of freedom.

"The message is clear: in osteoarthritis, quality of life is shaped less by how strong your hands are and far more by whether you can move through the world with confidence and energy," Karim said in a news release.

The study also identified persistent fatigue as a major, yet often ignored, factor in patient health.

Researchers said clinicians should prioritize energy management just as much as pain relief. When patients feel too exhausted to move, their confidence and independence quickly decline, leading to a lower overall quality of life.

Co-author Rizwan Qaisar, an associate professor of physiology at the University of Sharjah, emphasized that the goal of treatment should be broader than just managing symptoms. 

"If we want to improve the quality of life for older adults with osteoarthritis, we need to look beyond medications and focus on mobility, energy and functional independence," he said.

More information

The National Institute on Aging has more on osteoarthritis.

SOURCE: University of Sharjah, news release, Feb. 3, 2026