Performance Health Metrics: What Your Strength Says About Your Health

At Sonoma Sports & Family Chiropractic, we believe that health isn’t just the absence of pain—it's about how well you move, how strong you feel, and how prepared your body is for the demands of life. As we celebrate National Physical Fitness & Sports Month, there’s no better time to talk about the real-world metrics that tell us more about your health than a number on the scale ever could.

Why Metrics Matter for Healthspan (Not Just Lifespan)

Modern research is clear: strength, power, and mobility are some of the most predictive markers of long-term health and independence. These aren’t just “gym stats”—they’re clinical indicators tied to outcomes like:

Fall risk
Bone density
Brain health
Chronic disease risk
Quality of life as you age

In other words, how strong and mobile you are today impacts how well you’ll function decades from now.

What Are Performance Health Metrics?

Performance health metrics are physical tests that reflect your functional capacity—how well your muscles, joints, nervous system, and cardiovascular system work together to produce force, maintain control, and recover.

You don’t have to be an athlete to benefit from these. These are tests everyone should know about, and ideally, strive to improve.

Exercises That Tell You Where You Stand

Here are some key movement-based assessments we use in our clinic to evaluate strength, resilience, and functional health:

Test	What It Measures	Why It Matters
Dead Hang (Grip)	Grip strength, shoulder endurance	Linked to heart and brain health, fall risk, and all-cause mortality
Vertical/Broad Jump	Lower body power, neuromuscular output	Reflects speed, reaction time, and coordination—especially important with age
Sit-to-Stand Test	Lower body endurance and functional strength	Tells us how easily you’ll get off the ground or out of a chair later in life
Plank Hold	Core endurance and spinal control	Stronger cores mean fewer injuries and better movement control
Squat & Deadlift Strength Tests	Full-body strength-to-bodyweight ratios	These indicate muscular strength, skeletal health, and movement efficiency

‍ Strength Standards: Benchmarks for Everyday Athletes

Even if you don’t compete, your body still performs—every single day. Here are some general baseline strength standards that correlate with longevity and resilience:

Movement	Baseline Standard
Deadlift	2x bodyweight
Back Squat	1.5–2x bodyweight
Plank Hold	90 seconds or more
Dead Hang	60 seconds or more
Sit-to-Stand	12+ reps in 30 seconds
Vertical Jump	12”+ (women) / 20”+ (men)
Gait Speed	>1.0 meters/second

Note: These standards are flexible based on age, training history, and injury history—but they provide an excellent reference point.

So... Why Should You Care?

Because your physical capabilities are your independence.

Can you carry groceries up a flight of stairs?
Can you get up off the floor without help?
Can you jump, pivot, or react quickly enough to avoid a fall?

These aren't "gym goals." They’re life goals.

As we age, muscle mass naturally declines—a process called sarcopenia—but regular resistance training and strategic movement can dramatically slow or even reverse it. That’s where we come in.

‍ How We Help at Sonoma Sports & Family Chiropractic

We blend chiropractic care with movement assessments, soft tissue work, and personalized strength guidance so you’re not just pain-free—you’re functioning better.

Whether you’re looking to: