A recent study published in JAMA Network Open provides compelling evidence that muscular strength plays a critical role in longevity among older women. The findings are especially important for women living with or recovering from cancer, as muscle strength is closely linked to resilience, functional independence, and long-term survivorship.
Study Overview
Researchers analyzed data from 5,472 women aged 63 to 99 years participating in the Women’s Health Initiative Objective Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health (OPACH) study. Participants were followed for an average of 8.4 years, during which 1,964 deaths occurred.
Two simple measures of muscular strength were evaluated:
- Handgrip strength, measured with a dynamometer
- Chair stand performance, which measures how quickly a person can rise from a chair five times without assistance
Both tests are widely used indicators of muscle function and can easily be performed in clinical settings. The researchers found a clear and consistent pattern: women with greater muscle strength had significantly lower risk of death from all causes.
Women in the highest grip-strength group had about a 33% lower mortality risk compared with women in the lowest strength group.
Importantly, this association remained strong even after adjusting for many factors that influence health and survival, including age, smoking status, blood pressure, body weight, comorbid illnesses, and overall physical function. The relationship also persisted after accounting for physical activity levels, sedentary behavior, walking speed, and systemic inflammation.
These findings suggest that muscle strength itself is an independent marker of healthy aging and longevity.
Strength Matters Even Without High Levels of Aerobic Exercise
One of the most important findings from this study was that the survival benefit associated with greater muscle strength was present even in women who did not meet recommended aerobic exercise guidelines.
This observation has major implications for cancer survivors.
Many cancer patients and survivors experience fatigue, reduced physical capacity, or treatment-related side effects that make sustained aerobic exercise difficult. However, this study suggests that maintaining muscular strength alone may still provide important health benefits.
In other words, strength training remains valuable even when aerobic activity is limited.
Why Muscle Strength Matters for Cancer Survivors
Cancer treatments—including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, and prolonged inactivity—often lead to significant loss of muscle mass and strength. This condition, commonly known as sarcopenia, is associated with increased fatigue, reduced physical function, metabolic complications, and poorer clinical outcomes.
Muscle strength therefore serves as an important indicator of physiological resilience.
Maintaining strong skeletal muscles can help cancer survivors:
- Maintain independence and mobility
- Reduce the risk of falls and hospitalization
- Improve metabolic health
- Enhance quality of life
- Support long-term survivorship
For many survivors, rebuilding strength after treatment is a key step toward restoring physical confidence and functional independence.
Muscle Strength vs. Muscle Mass
Another important insight from the study is that muscle strength may be more important than muscle mass alone.
While body composition measurements often focus on muscle quantity, strength reflects muscle quality, neuromuscular function, and overall physical capability. Two individuals may have similar muscle mass but very different levels of functional strength.
For this reason, interventions that improve muscle performance and strength—such as resistance training—may have the greatest impact on health outcomes.
Simple Strength Assessments in Clinical Care
One practical takeaway from this research is that muscular strength can be evaluated quickly and easily in clinical settings.
Two useful assessments include:
Grip Strength Test:
Using a handheld dynamometer, clinicians can measure maximal grip force. Grip strength is widely recognized as a global marker of overall muscle health and has been linked to outcomes such as disability, hospitalization, and mortality.
Chair Stand Test:
Patients are asked to stand up from a chair five times without using their arms. This simple test evaluates lower body strength, balance, and functional mobility.
These tools can be easily integrated into cancer survivorship clinics and rehabilitation programs.
Implications for Cancer Care Providers
This research reinforces the growing importance of exercise oncology in comprehensive cancer care.
Oncology providers should consider incorporating muscle-strength assessments and resistance training recommendations into survivorship care plans. Referral to exercise specialists, physical therapists, or cancer rehabilitation programs may help patients safely rebuild strength during and after treatment.
Resistance training—even two sessions per week—can significantly improve muscle strength, reduce fatigue, and enhance overall physical function.
CancerFitness.org Takeaway
This study highlights an important message for women cancer survivors: muscle strength is a powerful predictor of longevity and health.
Strength training should be considered a core component of survivorship care, helping patients regain resilience, maintain independence, and support long-term well-being.
Simply put, stronger muscles support stronger survivorship.
Reference: Muscular Strength and Mortality in Women Aged 63 to 99 Years. Michael J. LaMonte, PhD; Eric T. Hyde, PhD; Steve Nguyen, PhD; Esmeralda Castro, PhD, et al.JAMA Network Open. 2026;9(2):e2559367. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.59367
