Strong leg muscles keep one young, heart-healthy and can prevent complications that come with old age.
Holding the whole body weight when standing, the importance of strong legs is not lost on anybody. They create a strong, stable foundation and increase overall balance — they can be compared to 'pillars'. Maintaining a sturdy pair of legs is important during youth and almost a must during old age. Apparently, strong muscular legs are also indicators of longevity — in fact, it topped such a list, voted by the readers of 'Prevention', a US magazine.
Here are some interesting and amusing facts about your legs.
Half Of All
The largest and strongest joints and bones of the human body are in the legs, which interestingly also comprises the 50% of bones and 50% of the muscles, in a human. A person is able to bear his own weight as a combination of the 'iron triangle' — strong bones, strong muscles and flexible joints, with the foot acting as the centre of body's locomotion. Additionally, 50% each of the total nerves, blood vessels, and blood flow occurs in a person's legs.
Leg Mighty
About 70% of all human activity and energy-burning in one's life is expedited by the two feet. The thigh-strength of youth is capable of lifting a small car!
Since healthy feet dictate the smooth convection current of blood flow, it's automatically responsible for a strong heart.
Anti-Ageing
Ageing commences feet upwards and becomes incidental on the reduction of the speed and accuracy of transmission of stimuli between the brain and the leg. With ageing, as the Bone Fertilizer Calcium depletes, the risk of bone-fracture increases, which, if it happens, can trigger fatal organ complications. Ageing can be prevented by simply strengthening the legs.
Keep Moving
One can easily understand the necessity of keeping on moving when one learns that keeping one's leg immobile for just two weeks will decrease its strength by as much as 10 years. During the same study conducted by the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, it was concluded that, irrespective of age — either young or old, that two weeks of inactivity can result in the weakening of the leg by a third of its capacity, which is equivalent to about 20 to 30 years of actual ageing.
Life-Long Task
Once weakened, any rigorous rehabilitation thereafter would still take a decently long time to recover. Exercising our feet throughout our life — even when one crosses 60 years of age — is non-negotiable.
Bottomline
Regular exercises like walking at least 30 to 40 minutes each day is very important to keep the leg muscles active and strong.
