Grip Strength Routine Implementation (GRImP)

Hand grip strength (GS) is a non-invasive marker of whole body skeletal muscle strength and function used in research and recommended as a simple inexpensive measure suitable for clinical use. Research has shown that low GS in hospital inpatients is associated with poor healthcare outcomes including increased postoperative complications, longer length of stay, increased functional limitations and disability. Measuring GS on admission to hospital has the potential to identify people at risk of poor healthcare outcomes allowing early intervention including focus on nutrition and mobility. Yet, GS measurement is not routinely used in clinical practice. The aim of this study is to evaluate the implementation of GS measurement into routine clinical practice in Medicine for Older People wards at UHS.