Can Touching Your Toes Test Your Arteries?

posted on January 15, 2010

By Monal Patel – Assistant Outreach Coordinator

Have you ever wondered – is it normal that I can’t touch my toes?  You probably answered “yes” and just assumed you’re not flexible enough.  However, a study published this year in the journal “Heart and Circulatory Physiology” suggests there is a correlation between inflexible bodies and inflexible arteries in people older than 40.  Adults who have trouble touching their toes tend to have relatively high readings of arterial stiffness.  Stiff arteries require the heart to work much harder to force blood through the vessels, and over time could contribute to a greater risk of heart attack and stroke. Some degree of arterial stiffening is inevitable with age, but the stiffer your arteries are, the less efficient your heart.

A key component to touching your toes is stretching, which keeps your muscles flexible and healthy to help prevent certain kinds of muscular degeneration.  Stretching helps limber up muscles and keeps them in good working conditions. This will also help reduce the stiffness that may occur following the performance of some physical activities. Please do remember, though, that stretching should be done gently and correctly.