Poor Body Flexibility Reduces Lifespan: Study Reveals

Emerging evidence suggests that poor flexibility is associated with a significant reduction in lifespan.

Physical exercise is believed to improve overall health, leading to a longer lifespan.

Limited data, however, exists on the link between  flexibilty and health.

This post explores the latest research that links body flexibility to lifespan and suggests ways to improve your flexibility.

What Is Body Flexibility?

How easily can you bend down to touch your toes?

Can you stand on one foot for at least 10 seconds?

Body flexibility is the ability of your muscles and joints to stretch and move freely without significant discomfort.

Muscles become flexible when they are regularly used and stretched.

Importance Of Body Flexibility 

Improving flexibility enhances mobility, making it easier to perform daily tasks.

A flexible body relaxes better than a rigid and aching body

Body flexibility enhances muscle strength and endurance

Flexibility improves balance and reduces the risk of falls, particularly at old age

Improving body flexibility is beneficial for overall health; conversely, a lack of flexibility can reduce lifespan.

The Link Between  Flexibility And Lifespan

Recent evidence suggests that people with flexible bodies live longer than people who do not have flexible bodies.

A cohort study in Brazil by Claudio Gil Araujo, MD, PhD, and his team suggested that people with flexible bodies have a longer lifespan.

Over 3000 people participated in the study and the results were collected in about 13 years.

According to Claudio, reduced body flexibility is related to poor survival. he stressed that it is becoming crucial to include flexibility in physical exercise .

How to Improve Body Flexibility 

Practice breathing with your diaphragm: 

This exercise is meant to strengthen your diaphragm thus improving your breathing and endurance.

This is how it is done;

1. Stand and place your hands on either side of your rib cage.

2. Inhale through your nose, filling your lungs with air and feeling your rib cage expand.

3. Begin to exhale through your mouth, engaging your core and pelvic floor muscles as you push the air out.

Knee bending

This is done to improve the flexibility and mobility of the knee joint.

It can be done by alternatively bending one knee while stretching the other knee fully.

Physical exercise

Engaging in appropriate physical exercises such as press-ups can help improve flexibility