Flexibility training is commonly integrated into the workout regimes of both professional athletes and regular exercisers. A recent study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports has indicated that flexibility might play a role in determining longevity in middle-aged individuals.
The research involved analysing the data of 3,139 participants, predominantly men (66%) between the ages of 46 and 65. Researchers evaluated their body flexibility using a metric known as Flexindex, calculated by assessing the passive range of motion across 20 movements covering seven different joints. Each movement was scored between 0 and 4, giving a possible total range of 0 to 80.
The study revealed a striking difference in Flexindex scores between genders. Women, on average, had a Flexindex that was 35% higher than men. Over the 12.9-year follow-up period, 302 participants passed away—224 men and 78 women. The data showed a clear inverse relationship between Flexindex scores and mortality risk. Survivors had a Flexindex approximately 10% higher than those who did not survive, a trend observed in both genders.
Furthermore, when adjusting for factors such as age, body mass index, and overall health status, the study found that men and women with lower Flexindex scores faced significantly higher mortality risks—1.87 times and 4.78 times higher, respectively, than those with higher scores.
Dr. Claudio Gil S. Araújo, MD, PhD, from the Exercise Medicine Clinic – CLINIMEX in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the lead author of the study, underscored the significance of the findings. He pointed out that while aerobic fitness, strength, and balance are well-known factors linked to lower mortality rates, this study suggests that reduced body flexibility also correlates with decreased survival rates in middle-aged adults. Dr. Araújo stressed the need to prioritise flexibility exercises and proposed that assessments of body flexibility should be a standard part of all health-related physical fitness evaluations, particularly as flexibility tends to decline with age.
More information: Claudio Gil S. Araújo et al, Reduced body flexibility is associated with poor survival in middle-aged men and women: a prospective cohort study, Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports. DOI: 10.1111/sms.14708
Journal information: Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports Provided by Wiley
