FEEL BETTER, LONGER

You are far more than the sum of your body parts, but keeping those parts working properly is key to staying active and pain-free well into older age.Give them a quick checkup and the TLC they need. Here's how.

- MERYL DAVIDS LANDAU

You service your car every 5,000 miles or so, but perhaps like many others you pay attention to the needs of your body only when bits and pieces start breaking down. As a reader of this magazine, you clearly know that’s a mistake.

Preventive measures now will pay off with better living down the road, says Matthew Motisi, D.O., an orthopedic surgeon at Baptist Health Orthopedic Care in Miami.

The thing is, even if most of your organs, bones, and systems are in top working order, if one or two have burgeoning issues, that can reverberate through the rest of your body and create additional problems. If you’ve got specific concerns about aches, pains, or other symptoms, consult with your primary care physician right away, and don’t skip your annual physical even if you feel fine. Meanwhile, try these simple assessments you can do at home. After that, read on for expert advice—and speak to your doctor if you don’t love your results.

Here’s how to test yourself:

HOW HEALTHY IS YOUR ... SPINE?

►THE TEST: Sit up straight in a chair and place your hands on your shoulders. Twist your head, neck, and shoulders slowly toward the right, then to the left. Next, carefully roll your head, neck, and upper back forward, chin toward chest. Reverse and lean back, opening your neck and upper chest. Finally, stand up and, using your right hand, reach for a pretend plate on a shelf to the left above your head; switch hands and grab for a plate to your right.

►HOW TO RATE YOURSELF: