Health Update

Breakthroughs in modern medicine are enabling people worldwide to live longer lives. However, with longer lifespans comes a gradual decline in physical capabilities. As people age, they often notice reductions in strength, balance, and mobility, but how these changes progress hasn’t been fully understood.

To investigate this, researchers backed by the NIH evaluated the physical performance of 40 healthy adults. Half were between 50 and 64 years old, while the other half were 65 or older. The participants completed various assessments in a facility designed to analyze movement precisely.

The study revealed that walking style remained largely the same across age groups. While muscle strength differed by sex, other physical traits were similar. Men had, on average, a 30% stronger grip and 27% greater knee strength compared to women. Still, the rate of strength loss over time was consistent for both sexes. Grip strength in the dominant hand fell by nearly 4% each decade, and knee strength decreased by around 1% every ten years.

Balance showed the most noticeable age-related decline, particularly when participants tried to stand on one leg for 30 seconds. The ability to balance on the non-dominant leg declined by 21% per decade, and the dominant leg by 17%. Additionally, when standing on both legs, older participants were more likely to sway or shift position.

These results indicate that the ability to maintain balance on a non-dominant leg could serve as a simple and effective indicator of health in older adults.

“Balance changes are especially significant. Poor balance raises your risk of falling,” says Dr. Kenton Kaufman of the Mayo Clinic. “Falls are a serious medical issue and can lead to major complications.”