New research shows that better mobility is linked to a lower risk of early death. Exercises such as yoga could help. FG Trade/Getty Images
Greater mobility is associated with a lower risk of dying early, new findings show.
More mobility exercises can increase the life expectancy of older people, according to a researcher.
Previous studies have shown that flexibility exercises such as yoga and tai chi also have other health benefits.
This is a machine translation of an article from our US colleagues at Business Insider. It was automatically translated and reviewed by a real editor.
Longevity is one of the hottest trends in fitness, and new research points to key metrics to pay attention to if you want to train for a longer life. According to a study published August 21 in the “Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in SportsAccording to a study published in the journal “Health and Fitness,” flexibility, which is measured by how well joints move, is associated with a lower risk of early death.
Researchers from more than half a dozen hospitals and universities around the world, including Stanford, analyzed data from 3,139 men and women ages 46 to 65. They assessed participants’ flexibility based on range of motion in the ankles, hips, knees, shoulders, trunk, wrists and elbows. The researchers then compared this score with the participants’ risk of death over an average follow-up period of nearly 13 years. The results suggest that people with higher flexibility scores had a significantly lower risk of dying during the study than participants with lower scores.
According to this study, women were on average 35 percent more flexible than men (and live according to CDC data tend to live longer, too). One caveat is that this study is observational, meaning more research is needed to determine whether improving flexibility can contribute to longer life.
Nevertheless, the researchers say this is the case. It is already known that endurance training, strength training and other types of exercise can extend life expectancy: “Being aerobically fit and strong and having good balance have previously been associated with low mortality. We were able to show that reduced physical mobility in middle-aged men and women is also associated with poor survival,” Araújo said in a press release.
The best exercises to improve mobility
Further research could also help determine which exercises are best for improving mobility and therefore longevity. There is already promising evidence that mobility-enhancing exercises such as Tai Chi and yoga can also be beneficial for general health. According to Claudio Gil S. Araújo, the study’s lead author and a doctor at the Clinimex exercise medicine clinic in Rio de Janeiro, the results suggest that exercises to improve mobility could be beneficial in old age.
Exercises such as lunges or 90/90 stretches are excellent for improving flexibility. You can also try yoga.
Read also
The oldest person in the world has died at the age of 117: Your 5 tips for a long life
Don’t forget mobility
Mobility, which is similar to flexibility, can not only improve your chances of longevity but also your ability to stay active and healthy longer, trainers told Business Insider. That’s all the more reason to follow a well-rounded workout program that covers a full range of motion and includes moves like deep squats to improve your mobility.
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2024-08-26 16:17:05