These simple tests will reveal how well you're ageing
Staying healthy and fit is important regardless of what age bracket you fall under, but when you’re in your 50s and 60s, it’s especially crucial to understand your body’s needs so you have an understanding of how well you’re ageing. Follow this simple guide to see if you’re in shape, or if you need more improvement:
1. Getting up from a chair with no hands
The ability of placing your feet firmly on the ground and getting off a chair may seem like a simple task, but many fail at completing it.
Talking to Coach, Wendi Carroll, an over 50s exercise specialist who runs Voome’s 50 Fit and Firing program, says that this activity will let you know how much strength you have in your quads and thighs.
“A lot of physios use a sit-to-stand test [with] hands across the chest to stand up,” she said.
“If you can’t do that, you’re not going to be able to sit on a toilet and get off a toilet or get out of a bed or into a car.”
2. Standing on one leg
Did you know that those over 70 are three times more at risk of dying after a ground level fall than those who are under 70? So, don’t take tripping lightly, because as we age, our bodies become more fragile and falling can cause serious damage. Which is why standing on one leg is a good indicator of how well you are able to balance yourself.
“Can you stand on one foot and hold the other foot off the ground for a count of 10 or longer without holding onto anything?” Carroll asks.
“If you can’t do that, there’s weakness in your legs and core control. You don’t want to get to the point where you have a fall – you’d rather be stronger and not have the fall or have the power to catch yourself before you fall.”
3. Getting up off the floor
If you have grandchildren then you know how many times you’re going to be expected to be on the floor with your grandchildren when they’re playing games – and believe it or not, your grandchildren are unknowingly creating healthier habits for you.
“Old people say to me, ‘I can’t get up off the floor!’ because they have lost leg strength and agility,” Carroll says.
“You need to keep practising getting on and off the floor. Watch how toddlers stand up and sit down with their legs apart, using their thighs. You’ve got to keep doing it, so you won’t be scared of doing it.”
4. Climbing a flight of stairs
Going up and down the stairs is a perfect indication of how in shape you are and is a method of indication doctors use when they conduct frailty predictor tests.
“Start by gradually increasing daily incidental physical activity, such as the distance you walk between shops and home, climbing a flight of stairs with fast, purposeful steps and standing to break up long sitting times,” says exercise physiologist Michael Inskip to Coach.
5. Have you gained weight?
It’s funny because the idea of losing weight is drilled into our minds since a young age, but when we’re older, having a bit of extra weight is a good thing as it provides a layer of protection. Weight loss is also attributed to sickness and will result to loss of muscle in the body as well.
Studies show that falling into the “overweight” category in the body mass index leads to a longer life if you’re in your older years.
“Frailty questionnaires ask simple questions, such as, ‘Have you lost more than 5 per cent of your weight unintentionally in the last six months?’” Inskip said.
6. Have a look at your medical tests
Frailty isn’t a condition that’s just related to muscle strength but can also include poor cognition and health and mental wellbeing. According to Inskip, there are a number of common diseases that can increase our chances of frailty.
“Large studies have correlated high cholesterol, blood pressure and obesity in mid-life to physical frailty in later life,” he says.
7. Lifting weights
Yes, cardiovascular activities are important the older you get, but strength training can also visibly increase your health and reduce the risk of many chronic conditions.
“Generally speaking, individuals should aim to reach a weekly total of 150 minutes of [at least] moderate intensity aerobic exercise each week and perform two to three moderate to high intensity strength training sessions,” Inskip says.
“Strength training is important for preventing sarcopenia [muscle loss] and loss of physical function.”
Affective strength programs will target different areas of the body such as the thighs, buttocks, hips, ankles, calves and upper arms.
“These muscles are strongly associated with maintaining independence [because] when weak, they contribute to loss of balance and falls,” said Inskip.
“It is important to have adequate support and supervision while performing these tasks to ensure your safety and allow you to challenge yourself in order to improve your balance.”
8. Are you ready to make a change?
Regardless of what age bracket you fall under, it’s never too late to start focusing on your health.
“Even nursing home residents in their 90s who have done no prior strength training can improve their strength by over 100 per cent in three months with robust resistance training and additional calorie intake,” explains Inskip.
“Keeping our health in our middle age strong and robust reduces the risk of experiencing a significant medical episode in later life, such as a heart attack, stroke, fall-related fracture or incident dementia.”
After reading this guide, how healthy are you? Let us know in the comments below.