Overview
- The Stroke journal analysis, published Thursday, linked lower muscle function to higher stroke risk.
- Researchers followed 482,699 UK Biobank adults for nearly 14 years and logged 11,814 strokes across ischemic and hemorrhagic types.
- People who reported a slow walking pace faced a 64% higher stroke risk than those who reported a brisk pace.
- Low muscle strength was tied to a 30% higher risk of any stroke and to 31% for ischemic and 41% for hemorrhagic strokes, and stroke survivors with muscle loss had about 25% to 46% higher death rates.
- A genetics-based analysis pointed to a possible causal role for walking pace, and the authors urged testing quick grip and walking checks while noting self-report and a mostly white UK sample as key limits.