New Study Claims to Reveal Why Millennials Have Weaker Handshakes Than Previous Generations

Next time you say hello to an American in his or her 20s, take note of the accompanying handshake: Weak or strong?

You may discover your counterpart's grip is weaker than handshakes you've experienced in the past.

A recent study published online by the Journal of Hand Therapy shows that American men between the ages of 20 and 34 — along with American women aged 20 to 24 — exhibit much weaker hand grips than the same age groups were studied 30 years ago.

"Work patterns have changed dramatically since 1985, when the first norms were established," Elizabeth Fain of Winston-Salem State University, who led the study with Cara Weatherford, told NPR. "As a society, we're no longer agricultural or manufacturing. ... What we're doing more now is technology-related, especially for millennials."

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To find out if millennials are more flimsy-fingered than older Americans, Fain and Weatherford collected data from 237 volunteers. After conducting a test to exclude anyone with preexisting thumb injuries, the researchers had millennials squeeze a hand dynamometer — a joystick-like device with a dial to measure the strength of a grip in pounds.

A hearty hold indicates not only sturdy hand muscles, but also strong wrists and arms.

In 1985, men ages 20-24 had an average right-handed grip of 121 pounds and left-handed grip of 105 pounds. Today, men that age had grips of only 101 and 99 pounds, the study found. Men 25-29 posted losses of 26 and 19 pounds.

Women ages 20-24 showed smaller, but significant losses in their right hand grip. With right-handed grips today of 60 pounds, they've lost roughly 10 pounds of force. (The researchers found strength diminished in men 30-34 as well, but there were only four participants in this age group.)

And while a firm handshake holds some importance in casual situations, another study shows it's downright crucial when trying to land a job.

University of Iowa business professor Greg Stewart noted as much in his 2008 research, saying a firm handshake can work wonders in a job interview — and that a weak handshake can end an interviewees chances from the get-go.

"We've always heard that interviewers make up their mind about a person in the first two or three minutes of an interview, no matter how long the interview lasts," said Stewart, an associate professor of management and organizations in the Tippie College of Business. "We found that the first impression begins with a handshake that sets the tone for the rest of the interview."

(H/T: Daily Mail)