How easily do you get up from a chair? New research published in The BMJ, and reported in The Times today, suggests that slower chair risers at the age of 65 are associated with a 14% greater risk of mortality over the next 10 years.
My worry is that some people will read this statistic and conclude, "I must try to get up more quickly". But rushing to rise from a chair is likely to lead to an increase in effort and strain, when in fact the goal should be to move with greater lightness and co-ordination - exactly the qualities encouraged by the Alexander Technique, and undermined by hurrying. Unfortunately speed is simpler to monitor than ease, which is why researchers tend to favour it as a measure of functioning.
Research led by Professor Archana Singh-Manou, University of Paris
Photo by Mitch Moondae on Unsplash
My worry is that some people will read this statistic and conclude, "I must try to get up more quickly". But rushing to rise from a chair is likely to lead to an increase in effort and strain, when in fact the goal should be to move with greater lightness and co-ordination - exactly the qualities encouraged by the Alexander Technique, and undermined by hurrying. Unfortunately speed is simpler to monitor than ease, which is why researchers tend to favour it as a measure of functioning.
Research led by Professor Archana Singh-Manou, University of Paris
Photo by Mitch Moondae on Unsplash
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