Winter is arriving. Soon, Canadians will be jumping over slushy spots and snow piles on sidewalks, an inevitable struggle we’re all too familiar with.
Jumping is good for you.
Your maximal vertical jump height can be used to measure athletic performance and also helps predict issues such as impaired mobility and moderate-to-severe disability.
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, in 2016 and 2017, 2.3 million Canadians aged 40 and older were living with diagnosed osteoporosis, and about 80% of these diagnoses were for women. The risk of osteoporosis diagnosis doubles every five years between the ages of 40 and 60. From 2016 to 2017, there were 150 hip fractures per 100,000 Canadians aged 40 and older, and more than one in five Canadians with a hip fracture died of any cause within the following year.
As we age, poor vertical jumping skills are associated with decreased mobility, lower quality of life, and increased risk and severity of falls and hip fractures. Although peak jumping height declines as we age, jumping is a skill that can be acquired over time, like running or walking. It requires substantial muscular strength, coordination and balance—all of which provide health benefits to every body, at any age.
So, let’s get jumping! (For the record, we don’t recommend jumping on snow-covered streets.)
Contact information
For more information, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; STATCAN.infostats-infostats.STATCAN@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (STATCAN.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.STATCAN@statcan.gc.ca).