🏁 Axios Finish Line: Brace yourself

A stunning stat on aging | Wednesday, March 16, 2022

Open in app View in browser   Presented By Emergent BioSolutions   Axios Finish Line By Mike Allen, Erica Pandey and Jim VandeHei ·Mar 16, 2022 Mar 16, 2022 Welcome back! Thanks to the hundreds of you who are joining the conversation at FinishLine@axios.com. Keep sending us your thoughts and questions. Smart Brevity™ count: 359 words ... 1½ mins.     1 big thing: The power of your hands Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios   The single most effective set of muscles you can work to extend your life is your hands. Why it matters: This shocked us, too. But many health and fitness experts argue that since falling is the leading cause of injury-related death once we cross 65 years old, we should start strengthening our hands now. Stunning stat: The threat is getting worse. Death by falling increased 30% from 2009 to 2018, according to CDC data. Stronger hands grip tighter to prevent falls — and brace stronger when you tumble. Grip strength is especially important for older adults who use canes, walkers or handrails or need assistance getting out of chairs, says David Bellar, a kinesiologist at UNC Charlotte. What to do: The most effective way to improve your grip strength is a simple dead hang, which works like it sounds — hanging still from a bar with your feet off the ground. Start by holding as long as you can, then work your way up from there. Or try the farmer's carry: Take a walk around your house or gym with two heavy objects in your hands. You can also work on your grip while sitting down with some easy exercises. Here are links to two tools to use at your desk to build stronger hands: This grip strengthener, which you simply squeeze, will record the number of times you use it so you can track your progress. This power ball, which you rotate in your hand, comes recommended by Axios co-founder Roy Schwartz. It's especially effective for strengthening your wrists and relieving inflammation from arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome. Share this story.     A message from Emergent BioSolutions We Go to create a world that's prepared and protected     Emergent maintains a critical role in the ongoing opioid crisis. We're developing emergency rescue medications that can help reverse an opioid overdose. It's just one of the ways we defend people from things we hope will never happen. Learn more about Emergent's protections.     ❤️ Science to share It's not just bracing yourself. Scientists have linked stronger hands to healthier hearts. A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that higher grip strength was correlated to lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar and higher good cholesterol levels.   Thanks for reading. Please invite your friends to sign up here. Like this email style and format? It's called Smart Brevity®. Over 200 orgs use it — in a tool called Axios HQ — to drive productivity with clearer workplace communications.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Suite 1300, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: