Daily Stretching Could Be the Key to a Longer Life

Flexibility could be the key to a longer life, according to a new study highlighting the overlooked role of physical flexibility in longevity. The study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports shows that middle-aged adults with greater physical flexibility have a lower risk of premature death. By assessing the range of motion of various joints using the Flexitest, researchers created a Flexindex value representing a person's flexibility. The study, involving over 3,000 individuals aged 46 to 65, found that individuals with higher Flexindex values had a significantly lower risk of death during the 13-year follow-up period. Particularly in men and women in the lowest flexibility range, the mortality rate was more than twice as high as in the most flexible individuals. The results suggest that poor mobility could be associated with underlying health issues such as arterial stiffness or inflammation. While the study does not confirm that flexibility directly increases life expectancy, it positions flexibility as an important marker for overall health.