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Ageing is not just about wrinkles, grey hair or changes in your appearance. Your muscles can also tell you a lot about how well your body is growing older. To help people check their muscle health, Dr Vishakha shared three simple tests that can be done at home in less than a minute.
These include checking your grip strength, trying the sit to stand test and measuring your walking speed.
The doctor also explained that skeletal or healthy muscles are not only needed to look fit. They help you stay active, move freely and manage your health as you get older. Here is what these three simple tests can tell you about your body.
On Instagram, Dr Vishakha shared, “Test one: grip strength, clinically measured using a dynamometer that we use for our patients at the clinic. At home, a dead hang from a bar is a rough proxy. Your grip reflects your overall muscle health. When it drops, it's a sign your muscles are weak and linked to faster ageing. Handshake is a longevity report.”
“Test two: sit to stand. Do this now. Rise from a chair five times without using your hands. This measures lower body power, specifically your fast-twitch muscle fibres. The fast-twitch muscle fibres are the first to fade as you age. Under 12-15 seconds is the target. Slower than that and your fast-twitch fibres are already declining and raising your fall risk.”
“Test three: walk 8 meters at your normal pace. Under 12 seconds is healthy. Walking slowly could mean a breakdown in communication between your brain, nerves, and leg muscles, which is why researchers now call gait speed a vital sign, right up there with heart rate, grip. Stand. Walk. Three simple tests. Building and protecting your muscle isn't about strength. It's your greatest investment in a longer, healthier life.”
As per BDA, maintaining muscle health as we grow older requires regular exercise, a healthy diet and enough water. Eating the right foods gives the body the energy it needs to keep muscles and bones strong.
Doing strength building exercises, such as lifting weights or working against resistance, will help your muscles to stay strong. Combining these activities with a healthy diet can give better results. It is also important to eat enough protein and calcium rich foods and get the recommended amount of vitamin D. Drinking water throughout the day is another key part of staying healthy with age.
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Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.