{
  "id": 2568095,
  "title": "4 overlooked muscles that matter for healthy ageing",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/22/4-overlooked-muscles-that-matter-for-healthy-ageing-2568095",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-22T11:26:56.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/fitness/4-overlooked-muscles-that-matter-for-healthy-ageing-10837317/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Four lesser-known muscles play a crucial role in maintaining health and independence as people age. Grip strength, hip abductors, calf muscles, and the diaphragm all contribute to mobility, balance, and overall resilience. Dr Lakshya Bhaktyani, a physiotherapist at PSRI Hospital, emphasizes that these muscles are often overlooked in fitness routines but are essential for performing daily tasks independently. Grip strength helps with tasks like carrying bags and opening jars, while hip abductors aid in balance and stability during changes in direction or obstacles. Calf muscles are vital for walking, climbing stairs, and ankle stability, and maintaining their strength supports mobility in later life. The diaphragm, primarily associated with breathing, plays a significant role in respiratory function, effective ventilation, and cough strength. Weakness in these muscles can increase the risk of falls and limit physical activity capacity. Dr Bhaktyani advises incorporating resistance and functional training exercises like farmer's carries, side leg raises, calf raises, squats, and breathing exercises from a younger age to maintain or improve strength. He stresses that consistency and gradual progression are key, rather than focusing solely on intensity. However, he cautions against relying on these four muscles as the sole indicator of how a person will age, as the combined function provides a general hint of strength, mobility, and physiological reserve.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express - Lifestyle",
        "title": "4 overlooked muscles that matter for healthy ageing",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/22/4-overlooked-muscles-that-matter-for-healthy-ageing",
        "published": "2026-08-22T11:26:56.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}