Science has defined at what age the ability to walk and talk begins to decline: it is sooner than previously thought

Many people, especially those over 70, suffer from arthritis or osteoarthritis, conditions that have given rise to some myths about walking. Same with speech. Some still think it’s an inevitable feature of old age, like gray hair or skin changes. But it has never been defined at what age the human body began to do this decrease the ability to walk and talk at the same time. Until now…

If a mortal can walk without problems, but not so much walking and talking, it’s possible it’s his brain health be in decline.

A new study has found that the ability to juggle both tasks almost begins to wane a decade earlier than previously thought previously, and researchers say this struggle could be a warning sign of dementia.

The scientists of the Harvard Medical School and Jewish SeniorLife found that this function decreases a 55 years old and should be “checked regularly starting in middle age”, rather than starting at age 65, to avoid falls and injuries.

“We tested a large number of people between the ages of 40 and 64 and found that the ability to walk in normal, calm conditions remained relatively stable in this age group,” she said. the principal investigator, Junhong Zhou, it’s a statement.

“However, even in this relatively healthy cohort, when we asked participants to walk and perform a mental arithmetic task at the same time, we were able to observe subtle but important changes in gait from the middle of the sixth decade of life.

The scientists working on the study observed 640 Spaniards attempting to multitask between May 2018 and July 2020. The study was published online last week in The Lancet’s Healthy Longevity.

“The performance of double duty, in the fields of neurology and aging, is an important indicator of brain health. This age-related decline in dual-task gait may indicate, at a much earlier age, when interventions should begin,” Zhou explained.

Zhou and his team attribute this to the decline in cognition and memory shrinkage frontal lobe and hippocampus and a slowdown in the production of chemical messengers in the brain as people age.

Zhou also said, “We looked at a proportion of participants older than 60 who took the dual-task test, as well as participants aged 50 or even younger. This means that dual-task walking performance it does not necessarily decrease with advancing age and that some people seem more resistant to the effects of aging,” Zhou said.

He added: “We hope our study stimulates future research to discover the Lifestyle and other modifiable factors that support maintenance of dual-task performance into old age, as well as interventions that target these factors.”

Exercises for joint pain

The wear of joints produces difficulties in various daily activities, impaired balance, loss of reflexes, atrophy and decrease in strength and muscular endurance. In many cases, this leads to “standing still”, which, far from being beneficial, further worsens the person’s physical condition and increases the progression of the disease.

On the contrary, create phisical exercises It helps to increase joint range of motion, improve stability and reduce joint stiffness.

Physical activity also significantly reduces the main symptom, which is pain, thus reducing the excessive intake of painkillers, which is also unhealthy for our body. But, What kind of exercises are recommended for people with joint problems?

• Low-impact aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, cycling, swimming, dancing, and even light gardening, prevents stress on your joints.

• Short daily walks should be done at moderate intensity (walking like window shopping is useless). Experts recommend doing it for about 30 minutes, four to five times a week.

• Exercises in the pool are also recommended for those with joint problems, especially for those patients who experience pain when performing other types of activity, as water allows the body to work with less impact. Both water and cycling exercises should be done two or three times a week.

• As for exercises to strengthen the muscles, which can be done both at home and in the gym, weights, elastic bands and yoga are recommended.

• Strength exercises are essential to prevent muscle atrophy. They should be practiced two to three times a week, with a weight that allows you to do between eight and twelve repetitions without experiencing pain or extreme fatigue. In this case, in order not to suffer from joint pain during activity, the effort must not exceed level three (on a scale of one to ten). If the pain is moderate (four to six), you should stop or decrease the load until the discomfort disappears.

• Finally, those who have difficulty walking or are at risk of falling should focus on exercises to work on balance. For example, practicing tai chi, an ancient martial art that promotes body flexibility, or walking backwards.

• In all cases yes, it is advisable to consult with your doctor about the type of activity to be carried out depending on the pathology.