Every year, many of us go to the doctor for a routine check-up.
Blood pressure, blood samples, maybe weight, BMI,  all the classic numbers that are supposed to tell us how we’re doing once we turn 40.

But here’s something I’ve been thinking about for years:

Why don’t we check our actual ability to move?
Our strength, our balance, how easily we get up from the floor, whether our core is still giving us support, all the things that actually decide how we feel in everyday life.

Because after 40, it’s rarely the blood pressure that surprises us.
It’s the moment you suddenly lose your balance.
It’s the long walk that now gives you sore hips.
It’s noticing you’ve stopped kneeling down on the floor because it feels… awkward.
Or the day your back “goes” when you simply pick up something from the floor.

These things rarely happen overnight.
They sneak up on you. Quietly. Gradually.
And most women don’t notice until something hurts, or until they have a fall.

“I didn’t realise anything had changed…”

I hear this sentence almost weekly in my clinic.

And it’s true, functional changes can happen so slowly that we don’t see them.

Strength declines.
Balance changes.
Mobility stiffens.
Confidence in movement fades a little.

And because women over 40 are often busy careers, teenagers, ageing parents, relationships, everything, our own body can slide down the priority list without us meaning to.

That’s why I want to talk about testing yourself.
Not in a “fitness challenge” way.
Not in a competitive way.
But in a gentle, informed, curious way, the same way you’d check your car or your annual health numbers.

Your body deserves a yearly “functional service check”

Not to judge it.
Not to criticise it.
But to understand it.

Just like you go to the doctor and get your numbers checked, I believe that once we’re 40+, we should also check:

  • Can I still balance well on one leg?
  • Can I get up from the floor smoothly?
  • Is my core still supporting me?
  • How strong are my legs?
  • How many times can I stand up from a chair without using my hands?
  • Does my body feel stable, or am I compensating more than I realise?

Because these things tell you more about your future health than a cholesterol number ever will.

And here’s the good news:
Most of these tests take less than 2 minutes each.

What I’ve created inside my online studio

I’ve put together a series of simple, clear, physiotherapy-based tests so you can check your functional level at home.
They’re not about “passing” or “failing.”
They’re about understanding where you are today.

The tests look at things like:

  • Abdominal strength (front and sides)
  • Balance
  • Calf and foot strength
  • Upper body strength
  • Glute and hamstring strength
  • The ability to get up from the floor
  • Lower-limb strength (like the 30-second sit-to-stand test, one of the best functional indicators we have)

They’re easy to do and you can easily understand the level that you are at.

What I hear from women is this:
“I didn’t realise my balance had changed.”
Or:
“I always thought my legs were strong, but wow, that test really showed me something.”

And this is the point.
You can’t improve what you don’t know.

Why women 40+ should test regularly

Because life is busy.
And because decline can be subtle.

Sometimes you only notice when you’ve already injured yourself.
Sometimes it takes a fall or an ache to get your attention.

But if you test yourself once a year, or every few months if you’re working on improving something, you stay in control.

You can see:

  • Am I stronger than last year?
  • Do I need to work on balance?
  • Is my core supporting me the way I thought it was?
  • Do I need to adjust my training?
  • Where do I want to improve?

It’s empowering to know the answer to these questions.

And it’s far less stressful than waiting for an injury to force you to pay attention.

Think of it like this:

If you trust your body, you can live your life more freely.
Walk more. Play more. Train more. Travel more.
Go on the floor with your kids or grandkids without worrying about how you’ll get up.

Testing helps you keep that trust.

My message for you this week

If you’re 40+, 50+, 60+, your functional health matters more than ever.

Not because you’re getting older.
But because you deserve to feel strong, supported, steady and capable in everything you do.

So give yourself a few minutes to check in.
Write down your results.
Repeat it next year, or sooner if you’re curious.
And let those numbers help you take care of the body you live in every single day.

Because your movement is your health.
And your strength, balance and function are worth looking after, long before something hurts.

-Astrid-