Middle-aged adults with reduced joint flexibility were significantly more likely to die from natural, non-COVID causes over a 13-year period, suggesting flexibility may be an overlooked marker of longevity.
August 2024 – Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports
Key takeaways
- Flexibility strongly predicts survival: In a large middle-aged cohort, lower flexibility scores were linked to significantly higher natural, non-COVID mortality, even after accounting for age, BMI, and overall health. Women with the lowest flexibility had nearly five times the mortality risk of those with the highest scores, while men had nearly double the risk
- Flexindex offers a whole-body insight: Flexibility was assessed using the Flexindex, a composite score from 20 passive joint movements across seven joints. This comprehensive method captured total body mobility more accurately than traditional flexibility tests, offering a practical, non-invasive predictor of longevity that may complement other health assessments
- Higher flexibility correlates with lower death rates: Men and women with the highest Flexindex scores had notably lower mortality during 13 years of follow-up. Only one death occurred among the top 100 most flexible participants. This trend persisted across all age groups, highlighting the protective value of joint mobility for healthspan
- Flexibility may reflect lifestyle quality: While causality wasn’t proven, reduced flexibility may be a marker of broader lifestyle issues such as inactivity or systemic stiffness from ageing or chronic disease. Importantly, flexibility can be improved through targeted training like yoga or stretching, offering a low-risk intervention for healthy ageing
Read the article at: Araújo, Claudio Gil S., et al. “Reduced Body Flexibility Is Associated With Poor Survival in Middle-Aged Men and Women: A Prospective Cohort Study.” Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.14708.
