Getting up effortlessly from a low chair, tightly gripping a stubborn jar… Behind these everyday gestures lies perhaps one of the best indicators of health among women who are getting older. Not to mention sporting performance, the question of muscular strength takes a central place in aging.
A large American study followed more than 5,000 women aged 63 to 99 for a little over eight years. The researchers observed that those who had the most muscular strength had a significantly lower risk of death. To detect the most vulnerable women, a simple handshake test could become a real warning signal.
In older women, muscle strength and longevity go hand in hand
The participants, from the OPACH study attached to the Women’s Health Initiative, took two very simple tests: grip strength, measured with a dynamometer in the dominant hand, and the time required to perform five chair lifts without using the arms. They also wore an accelerometer for seven days to measure real activity and sedentary lifestyle.
During the follow-up period, 1,964 women, or approximately 36%, died. On average, each 7 kilo gain in grip strength was accompanied by an approximately 12% reduction in mortality risk. Women in the strongest group had about a 33% lower risk of death than those in the weakest group, and those fastest on the chair test had a reduced risk of about 37%.
Why a few extra pounds of strength change aging
This association between muscular strength and survival persists even when controlling for many factors: age, weight, smoking, blood pressure, number of chronic diseases, time spent sitting, level of moderate to vigorous activity, and walking speed, which reflects cardiovascular fitness. It also remains visible in women who do not meet the recommendations of at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week.
“Muscular strength, in many ways, allows you to move your body from one point to another, especially against gravity. Healthy aging likely continues through sufficient amounts of both aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activities. When we can no longer get up from the chair and move around, our health deteriorates“, explains Michael LaMonte, research professor of epidemiology at the University at Buffalo. The study also suggests that muscle quality matters at least as much as visible volume.
“We also demonstrated that differences in body size did not explain the link between muscle strength and mortality.”he specifies. “Even after relating strength measurements to body weight, or even lean mass, mortality remained significantly lower..
Maintaining your strength after 60: very concrete actions
In practice, strength is easily tested in consultation: squeeze a device in your hand or time five chair lifts with crossed arms. Without diagnosing herself, an elderly woman can already ask herself a few questions: does she need support to get up, does she have to pull herself up from an armchair with both hands, does she quickly feel exhausted carrying the shopping or climbing a few steps? So many signals to discuss with a doctor, a geriatrician or a physiotherapist.
To strengthen your muscles, there is no need for a gym: light dumbbells, weight machines, body weight exercises such as chair squats or push-ups against a wall are already useful, provided they are adapted and medically validated. “Using cans or books as supports is enough to stimulate the muscles and could be suitable for people for whom other solutions are not an option“, adds Michael LaMonte. Two strengthening sessions per week, integrated into daily life and supervised if necessary, can then become a real investment in the longevity of older women.
Seniors, in particular, are encouraged to discuss precautions during muscle-strengthening exercises with their doctor, says Michael LaMonte. He also recommends that those who are not used to these activities consult a physical therapist or exercise expert to ensure their safety and achieve their desired strength goals.