Health and Me

Aarushi Bhadury

This Simple Tennis Ball Test Can Reveal Dementia Risk

A simple tennis ball might be able to tell you whether you have dementia or not. While it sounds strange, experts explain that the strength of your hands is a major clue for how well your mind is aging. 

In a recent video, Neurologist Dr. Baibing Chen explains that your grip strength is a "window" into your cognitive health. To squeeze your hand, your brain must coordinate nerves, muscles, and blood flow all at once. When this system weakens, it often suggests that the brain’s "resilience" or ability to bounce back is also lower. 

While weak hands don't cause dementia, they can be an early warning sign. In some conditions, like vascular dementia, physical changes like slowing down or dropping things often happen before memory loss even begins. 

<h2>How To Do The Tennis Ball Test At Home? </h2>

You don't need expensive equipment to check your strength. You can use a standard tennis ball or a stress ball to track your progress: 

<strong>Get Ready:</strong> Sit up straight with your feet flat on the floor and your arm stretched out in front of you.

<strong>Squeeze:</strong> Grip the ball as hard as you possibly can.

<strong>Hold: </strong>Try to keep that strong squeeze for 15 to 30 seconds.

<strong>Repeat: </strong>Do this three times with each hand and note if you feel tired or if your strength fades quickly. 

Researchers have found that people in the bottom 20% of grip strength have a much higher risk of developing memory problems. 

For example, a massive study of nearly 200,000 adults showed that as grip strength drops, the risk of dementia goes up by about 12% to 20%. 

Specifically, if a man’s grip strength is below 22 kg or a woman’s is below 14 kg, doctors consider that a "red flag" for future cognitive decline. These numbers are helpful because they show changes in the body years before memory loss actually starts. 

<h2>What If You Fail The Tennis Ball Dementia Test? </h2>

It is very important to remember that a weak grip is not a guarantee of dementia. Many factors, such as arthritis, old injuries, or general lack of exercise, can cause your hands to feel weak. 

The goal of this test is not to scare you, but to encourage you to be proactive. If you feel like your hands are getting "tired" faster during daily chores or you are dropping items more often, mention it to your doctor. They can help determine if it is just a muscle issue or something that needs more investigation. 

Dementia is one of the most common cognitive conditions in the world. According to the World Health Organization, there were 57 million people living with dementia in 2021, many of whom never had any treatment for it. 

<span>Early detection of dementia</span> is an important part of the treatment. While it may not completely cure the disease, it can slow down the progress to help people retain as much of their abilities as possible. 

Finding out if someone has Alzheimer’s is not as simple as taking one single test. Doctors act like detectives, gathering many different clues to figure out what is happening in the brain. To make an accurate diagnosis, healthcare providers use a combination of different tools and tests: 

Doctors may use imaging tests like MRI, CT, or PET scans to look at the physical structure of the brain and check for any unusual changes. 

There may be cognitive tests that check your recall skills. These are mental puzzles or questions that check your memory, problem-solving skills, and how well you can perform daily tasks. 

This can also include blood tests or checking "spinal fluid" to look for specific markers that show up in people with certain types of dementia. 

A neurologist may also check your balance, your senses, and your reflexes to see how well your nerves are working.

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A simple tennis ball might be able to tell you whether you have dementia or not. While it sounds strange, experts explain that the strength of your hands is a major clue for how well your mind is aging. In a recent video, Neurologist Dr. Baibing Chen explains that your grip strength is a "window" into your cognitive health. To squeeze your hand, your brain must coordinate nerves, muscles, and blood flow all at once. When this system weakens, it often suggests that the brain’s "resilience" or ability to bounce back is also lower. While weak hands don't cause dementia, they can be an early warning sign. In some conditions, like vascular dementia, physical changes like slowing down or dropping things often happen before memory loss even begins. How To Do The Tennis Ball Test At Home? You don't need expensive equipment to check your strength. You can use a standard tennis ball or a stress ball to track your progress: Get Ready: Sit up straight with your feet flat on the floor and your arm stretched out in front of you.Squeeze: Grip the ball as hard as you possibly can.Hold: Try to keep that strong squeeze for 15 to 30 seconds.Repeat: Do this three times with each hand and note if you feel tired or if your strength fades quickly. What the Numbers Mean Researchers have found that people in the bottom 20% of grip strength have a much higher risk of developing memory problems. For example, a massive study of nearly 200,000 adults showed that as grip strength drops, the risk of dementia goes up by about 12% to 20%. Specifically, if a man’s grip strength is below 22 kg or a woman’s is below 14 kg, doctors consider that a "red flag" for future cognitive decline. These numbers are helpful because they show changes in the body years before memory loss actually starts. What If You Fail The Tennis Ball Dementia Test? It is very important to remember that a weak grip is not a guarantee of dementia. Many factors, such as arthritis, old injuries, or general lack of exercise, can cause your hands to feel weak. The goal of this test is not to scare you, but to encourage you to be proactive. If you feel like your hands are getting "tired" faster during daily chores or you are dropping items more often, mention it to your doctor. They can help determine if it is just a muscle issue or something that needs more investigation. How Is Dementia Diagnosed? Dementia is one of the most common cognitive conditions in the world. According to the World Health Organization, there were 57 million people living with dementia in 2021, many of whom never had any treatment for it. Early detection of dementia is an important part of the treatment. While it may not completely cure the disease, it can slow down the progress to help people retain as much of their abilities as possible. Finding out if someone has Alzheimer’s is not as simple as taking one single test. Doctors act like detectives, gathering many different clues to figure out what is happening in the brain. To make an accurate diagnosis, healthcare providers use a combination of different tools and tests: Brain Scans Doctors may use imaging tests like MRI, CT, or PET scans to look at the physical structure of the brain and check for any unusual changes. Cognitive Tests There may be cognitive tests that check your recall skills. These are mental puzzles or questions that check your memory, problem-solving skills, and how well you can perform daily tasks. Lab Work This can also include blood tests or checking "spinal fluid" to look for specific markers that show up in people with certain types of dementia. Physical Exams A neurologist may also check your balance, your senses, and your reflexes to see how well your nerves are working.