Lack of muscle strength increases the risk of accidents also among working-aged Finns – test your functional capacity with just a few exercises 

12.9.2024

For a significant part of the population, mobility and muscle strength have decreased to an extent where the risk of accidents increases. The Accident Prevention Day campaign highlights how physical functional capacity can be tested with simple exercises. The risk of accidents can be reduced by staying active.  

Problems related to physical capabilities, especially mobility, are more common among older age groups, but e.g. lacking muscle strength of lower limbs is growing more common even among working-age people. For example, every fifth woman and every tenth man between the ages of 55 and 64 finds it difficult to squat down, according to the Healthy Finland Survey 2023 of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.   

The population in Finland is aging, and problems of functional capacity will become more and more common in the future.  

In aging people, reduced functional capacity can also appear as issues with balance, which increases the risk of accidents at home and during leisure time, such as slipping and falling. Even if a fall does not lead to an injury, weak leg strength may prevent the person from getting up again. They may require help from emergency medical care for getting up from the floor.   

“The fall may cause some embarrassment, but can also lead to serious problems such as broken bones, also among working-age people. Everyone should get regular and varied exercise, as it maintains and develops physical capacity and thereby reduces the number of accidents caused by reduced mobility,” says Ansa Holm, executive director of the Suomen Luustoliitto bone health society.  

Functional capacity can and should be developed early on 

Good physical functional capacities help the elderly to cope independently at home, but it also supports the day-to-day life and work of working-age people. The earlier in life you start to exercise, the more efficient you can be in preventing mobility issues and falling accidents as you age. 

Exercising should be started based on your own fitness level, for example by walking on different terrain types. As your fitness level increases, the exercises can become more demanding and their pace faster. The muscle strength of lower limbs can be developed by e.g. gym training, where the resistance can be increased gradually. Stretching helps increase mobility.  

”Physical capacity can be developed at any age and level. It is never too late to start,” Holm says. 

Test your functional capacity 

You can test your functional capacity by trying whether you can do the following simple exercises. If you have problems with the exercises or if they feel challenging, you should look for your preferred ways of building up your muscle strength and developing your balance, for example. 

• While brushing your teeth, stand firmly in place with one foot in front of the other, with the toes of your back foot touching the heel of your front foot. Switch your feet so that the one that was at the back is now at the front and vice versa.  

• Go up two flights of stairs without stopping.  

• While waiting for your coffee to brew, do 10 squats in a row, deep enough for your fingers to touch the floor. Alternatively, stand up from your chair with your arms folded at your chest.  

• While watching TV, stand up with your feet together. Bend forward with your back straight and knees straight. Touch your kneecaps with your hands.  

For more exercises, see the checklist of physical capacity by the Accident Prevention Network (in Finnish). 

The Accident Prevention Day campaign is always held around Friday the 13th. This year, the campaign will be organised twice: on 9–13 September and on 9–13 December. The September campaign will culminate on Friday, 13 September. During the campaign, people are encouraged to think of ways for everyone to reduce risks and prevent accidents at work, at home and in traffic. The campaign is organised by the Accident Prevention Network, comprising organisations, authorities and private operators alike and coordinated by the Finnish Red Cross.  

More information about the Accident Prevention Day campaign:  

Health Promotion Planning Officer Anna Ranta, Finnish Red Cross, tel. +358 (0)40 480 6973  

More information on accidents at home, falls and breaks:  

Executive director Ansa Holm, Suomen Luustoliitto, tel. +358 (0)50 303 8129   

Further information on physical capacity:  

Senior Researcher Heli Valkeinen, National Institute for Health and Welfare, tel. +358 (0)29 524 7137