by Liz Bonis, WKRC || Click here to see the full story.

CINCINNATI (WKRC) – That five-minute stretch in someone’s workout routine may have significant health benefits. A new study explained how.

It’s a bit of a stretch, but a new study showed that a person’s flexibility has a far-reaching impact when it comes to how long they live.

It doesn’t really seem to matter how someone chooses to become flexible. They could choose the mindful practice of gentle yoga for stretching.

“All right everybody, so we’ll go ahead and begin,” said Lauren Albarella, Mindful Morning Flow instructor. “Find a comfortable seat. This is really a time to practice being in the moment.”

Or a warmup for game time.

“They’re constantly getting used to the motions, they are going to be doing in the sport or activity,” said Dr. Jonathan Slaughter, OrthoCincy surgeon.

Doctor Slaughter knows stretching can be something people don’t like to do, but said taking time to stretch and improve flexibility is critical for someone’s future health.

Researchers in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports rated more than 3,000 people ages 46 to 65 with what’s called the Flexitest.

It tests the flexibility of seven different joints using 20 movements. These included being able to extend and flex the knees, hips, trunk, wrists and shoulder.

When they compared the flexibility test results over the next 13 years to the likelihood of death in both men and women, the higher the flexibility scores resulted in the lower risk of death from any cause such as heart disease or cancer.

The reason they push, pull or move their muscles for flexibility doesn’t seem to matter.

“It allows me to be present and take that presence into the rest of my life,” said Patrick Walker, someone who does yoga.

But researchers said it’s possible flexibility reflects a person’s broader health and reduces inflammation, which is linked to how long someone lives.

As for how long someone needs to stretch each day, any amount of time is a good start.