The most important exercise for older adults, according to the latest research

Research recently published in the scientific journal Plos One has discovered the most important exercise for older adults to stay healthy in old age.

Accordingly, the time it takes to maintain balance - meaning being able to stand on one leg - is the most powerful measure of aging, according to medical website Medical Express.

Good balance, good muscle strength, and a steady gait contribute to people's independence and well-being as they age. Depending on the decline in these factors, doctors will develop an exercise program to help older adults experience healthy aging.

The ability to maintain balance by standing on one leg, specifically the non-dominant leg, is the clearest indicator of age-related decline in health.

The Mayo Clinic study included 40 healthy people over the age of 50 who were tested for walking, balance, grip strength, and knee strength. Half of the participants were over 65 and half were under 65.

During the balance tests, participants were asked to stand in different situations: standing with both feet and eyes open, standing with both feet and eyes closed, standing with one non-dominant foot and eyes open, and standing with one dominant foot and eyes open. Each test lasted 30 seconds.

The results found that the ability to maintain balance by standing on one leg, specifically the non-dominant leg, most clearly reflected age-related decline in health. This suggests that balance training is most important for older adults, according to Medical Express.

Balance is an important measure because in addition to muscle strength, vision, vestibular system, and proprioceptive system are involved, said lead author Kenton Kaufman, PhD, director of the Mayo Clinic's Motion Analysis Laboratory. "The balance deficits are significant. People who lose their balance are at risk of falling, whether they are moving or not. Falls are a serious health risk with serious consequences."

Falls are the leading cause of injury in adults 65 years of age and older. Most falls in older adults are due to loss of balance.

Grip strength is a better predictor of aging than other strength tests

In tests of knee strength and grip strength, the results showed that these two factors declined significantly over the decades, but not as much as balance. Grip strength declined faster than knee strength, making grip strength a better predictor of aging than other strength tests.

For the gait test, results showed that gait did not change with age.

Balance training is most important

From the above results, balance training becomes most important for the elderly.

Dr. Kaufman says people can take steps to practice balance. For example, standing on one leg can train the muscular and vestibular coordination needed for balance. Ideally, you should be able to stand on one leg for 30 seconds, according to Medical Express.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bai-tap-quan-trong-nhat-doi-voi-nguoi-lon-tuoi-theo-nghien-cuu-moi-nhat-185241024152944567.htm