The ordinary things you’re able to do, or not do, say a lot about you and how well your body’s handling life, especially when you’re over 70 years old.
Stairs
A full flight of stairs really doesn’t care how you feel that day, so that’s why it’s so important to be able to go from bottom to top without stopping halfway. Anyone who can do that after 70 is doing well for themselves. Why?
Because it’s a sign that their legs and lungs are doing things as they should. It’s proof that they’re pacing themselves properly, and it’s a good test of how their lower body’s working, in a very normal way. It’s not like you can fake much with stairs.
Bending
There’s usually something that happens every day that forces you to get down on the floor. Maybe a pen rolls under the table or something lands near your shoe, whatever, the point is that you’ve got to get down to pick it up, and it’s a good sign if you can do that independently.
Not holding onto the wall or a chair, but instead, doing it yourself suggests that your body is aging far better than most people’s. You’re able to bend, you’re able to reach, you’re able to shift your weight and come back up without losing your place.
Up off the floor
Getting down onto the floor is important, yes, but don’t forget about how important getting back up is, too, because that’s the real test. You know, all that bending, all that shifting and pushing, it’s a lot of work, and it says a lot about your body.
The ability to get up from the floor is something that doctors connect to your mobility and your strength. Doing it independently without needing to plan every detail out? That’s a sign your body’s doing a lot right and you should take it as a victory, seriously.
One foot gets busy
Balancing. It’s something you’ve got to do all the time, and the best test of it is trying to put pants on while standing on one leg, since you lift one foot and your weight shifts. You make tiny corrections while keeping the rest of yourself calm, so much is going on.
It’s no surprise, then, that people who struggle to do so are usually not the best at balancing, and that’s kind of important when you’re older. One-leg standing is a balance activity for older adults that’s way more useful than people realize.
The quick switch
Turning around fast sounds simple, and sure, it is, until the day comes when your body disagrees, usually that happens when you’re 70 years old. Then it becomes harder, then it involves a lot more wobbling and grabbing the counter.
Being able to turn around without doing any of that is a good sign of control, and a 180-degree turn like that is actually part of the Timed Up and Go test. Nobody praises this kind of movement when they’re young because it doesn’t seem special. But it really does count.
Above eye level
High shelves are a funny thing because they really do seem harmless, and they are, until your shoulder gives up. Then it’s a different story. You still need a good amount of motion to be able to reach up for something, around 130 degrees of shoulder movement for daily tasks.
It’s quite a bit more than people expect from just putting dishes away because they assume it just involves their arms moving. But think about it, your ribs shift a little, your back joins in, it’s a lot of coordination you’ve got to use, all at the same time.
More than tidying
People usually talk about housework as being ‘light,’ but that’s really unfair. Wiping counters isn’t exactly mountain climbing, of course it’s not, yet when you do a few small jobs in a row, you’ll realize that there’s actually a lot more going on.
You need to stand, walk, carry things, reach behind things, bend down for things, and that’s just for laundry. A relatively normal tidy-up can involve having good aerobic skills, good muscle-strengthening work, and a good sense of balance. Doesn’t seem so easy now, does it?
Surprise bump
Nothing quite tests your balance skills like a small bump, maybe from a pet that crosses your path at the wrong moment or a person brushing past you in a shop. There’s no warning or anything, you’ve just got to react in a split second and hope you can stay up.
Keeping your balance without doing the awkward windmill-arm thing is a really good sign your body is aging well. Older people who react poorly to unpredictable balance disturbances are the ones who are more likely to fall. Don’t let that be you.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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