"Flexible people live longer"... The more flexible you are over 45, the lower your risk of death.

Among the secrets to living healthily and long, exercise is essential. In particular, combining aerobic and strength training is known to be more effective. According to a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, combining strength and aerobic exercises reduces the risk of death from all causes.

 

People who exercised in this way had a 41% lower probability of death from all causes except cancer compared to those who did not exercise. Exercise is broadly classified into aerobic exercise, which strengthens the heart, and strength training, which builds muscle.

 

Because of this, you might think that completing these two exercises is enough to finish your workout perfectly. However, there is one more exercise you need to pay attention to. ☆Stretching and other flexibility exercises are exactly that.

 

Actually, it's not easy to think about exercising just because flexibility has decreased. According to experts, exercises to improve flexibility are fundamentally essential and should be done alongside cardiovascular and strength training exercises.

 

Higher physical flexibility scores in adults aged 45 and older are associated with a lower risk of death.

 

Recent research has shown that improving flexibility through stretching and other methods can extend lifespan. This new study revealed an interesting correlation between physical flexibility and lifespan in middle-aged adults.

 

 

Experts say, "This study suggests that individuals with overall physical flexibility may have a lower risk of early death." As mentioned above, it is widely known that physical fitness plays an important role in health and longevity, and most studies focus on cardiovascular health and strength.

 

However, this study opened new horizons by investigating the potential impact of flexibility and survival, which are often overlooked components of physical health. The research team used a comprehensive flexibility assessment tool called Flexitest to evaluate the range of motion of different joint movements across seven major joints in the body.

 

☆This includes movements of the ankles, knees, hips, torso, wrists, elbows, and shoulders. The scores for all these movements are combined to create the 'Flexindex' score, which represents an individual's overall physical flexibility.

 

This study was conducted on 3,139 middle-aged adults aged 46 to 65 (2,087 men and 1,052 women). The research team followed the participants for an average of 13 years, tracking their health outcomes and survival rates.

 

The remarkable finding discovered by the research team was that individuals with higher FlexIndex scores, meaning those with greater flexibility, had a significantly lower risk of death during the follow-up period. This relationship remained unchanged even after accounting for factors such as age, body mass index (BMI), and overall health status.

 

The results were particularly pronounced among the most flexible individuals. For men, the mortality rate among those in the bottom 10% of flexibility scores was 21.2%, whereas among those in the top 10%, it was only 7.8%.

 

In the case of women, the difference was even more dramatic. The mortality rate in the group with the lowest flexibility was 15.4%, while in the group with the highest flexibility, it was only 2.0%. Interestingly, this study also confirmed previous research findings that women tend to be more flexible than men.

 

On average, women's flexibility index scores were 35% higher than men's. In fact, women aged 61 to 65 were, on average, 10% more flexible than men aged 46 to 50.

 

Experts evaluated that "this study does not directly prove that increasing flexibility leads to longer lifespan, but it shows that flexibility can be an important indicator of overall health and longevity." The research team estimated that "poor flexibility may be associated with other health issues such as arterial stiffness or chronic inflammation, which could contribute to an increased risk of death."

 

The research team explained, "Being healthy, strong, and well-balanced through aerobic exercise was previously associated with a lower mortality rate. We were able to demonstrate that a decrease in physical flexibility is also related to lower survival rates in middle-aged men and women."

 

Experts say, "This study opens a new path to understanding the relationship between physical fitness and health," and suggest that "flexibility assessments like the FlexiTest could be useful in identifying individuals at higher risk of early death."

 

☆To improve flexibility, consistently do 10 minutes of stretching... it also makes maintaining body balance and avoiding obstacles easier.

 

To develop flexibility, stretching is necessary. Doing this exercise stretches the tendons and muscle fibers attached to the bones. When the muscle fibers stretch, it also benefits muscle growth. As flexibility improves, the effectiveness of strength training is also enhanced.

 

Improved flexibility allows for greater freedom in physical activity. Since the body does not become stiff or rigid, it becomes easier to maintain balance in situations where falling might occur or to avoid obstacles. Therefore, the risk of muscle tears or sprains (twisting or overstretching) also decreases.

 

Poor posture, such as slouching, causes muscle shortening. Therefore, maintaining proper posture and stretching regularly to improve flexibility will allow for more comfortable activity even as you age.

 

☆Stretching also improves blood flow. Because it supplies blood more smoothly to each organ of the body, it ultimately helps prevent diseases such as diabetes and obesity. According to a study, people with good flexibility have better arterial wall elasticity than those without, reducing the risk of stroke and heart attack.

 

How should I do flexibility exercises? ☆ During long working hours of sitting, it is helpful to stand up and stretch once in a while, and at home or in the gym, take about 10 minutes to do stretching. It is good to thoroughly stretch the upper body parts such as arms, shoulders, and neck, as well as the lower body parts like thighs, calves, and ankles, and also the core of the body, including the back.

 

If you don't have 10 minutes to spare, you can also do stretching 2 to 3 times a week focusing more on the areas that tend to be more problematic based on your lifestyle habits. For example, if you do a lot of computer work, your shoulders and back may become stiff, so you can focus more on relieving those areas.

 

Experts advise that exercises to improve flexibility should be performed consistently over the long term, just like aerobic or strength training, to achieve more effective results. They also emphasize the importance of focusing on proper stretching, paying attention to whether the body is stretching correctly, and being mindful of breathing, especially exhaling when relaxing the muscles.

 

Kwon Soon-il Reporter (kstt77@kormedi.com)

,........,

Living without the desire to live long

I want to live healthily without any pain over the years.

I think the issue is how to take care of your health.

Stretching improves flexibility.

I do.

I should do stretching every day.