We know that staying active is important. It extends longevity and makes us feel better both mentally and physically. But did you know that staying loose and limber is also important to your long-term health?
Research has shown that patients with greater flexibility tend to live longer, healthier lives, says Andrew J. Harb, a specialist in rehabilitation and pain medicine at NYU Langone.
In a study published last year in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, researchers measured the flexibility of individuals, both middle-aged and elderly, in areas including the shoulders, hips, and back and found that patients with more flexibility tended to live longer and healthier lives.
Another indication of the benefits of staying active and nimble comes from research among the world’s Blue Zones, in places like Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; and the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica, parts of the world where people live exceptionally long lives.
