Hello Everybody,
When it is suggested that older people should exercise there is one very good question they might ask ‘Why?’ The answer is that they may well live a longer, healthier, more active life as a result. It can also help their cognitive abilities like memory and reasoning skills. So, given the many positive aspects of exercise, it is a good idea to try and do it on a regular basis. It must be regular, for occasional exercise will do little good and may do some harm.
There are, of course, people who are unable to exercise because of a variety of medical conditions. But there are also people who could do some gentle exercise on a regular basis and who may not realise it is possible.
Osteoarthritis is one of the main reasons for loss of mobility. It affects middle aged and older people and causes pain and stiffness in weight bearing joints such as spine, hips, knees and feet. The obvious thing to do is to rest and avoid the pain. But this just makes the joints more stiff. What you should do is exercise them. It will not be too comfortable at first and it could seem a painful waste of time. But gentle stretching exercises and moderate walking will help a lot. Sadly we have not yet found an osteoarthritis cure. So, for the present, it will never be possible for someone with osteoarthritis to have a real workout or a long hike in the country. But a more active lifestyle is perfectly possible and it is well worth the effort.
Another thing that can help is to lose weight. If you lighten the load on the joints this will ensure that they do less work and slow down the degenerative process. Losing weight when you are unable to do much exercise is not easy. All you can do is try to cut down on sugars and fats and eat plenty of lean meat, oily fish, fresh vegetables and fruit. Avoiding snacking between meals is also a good idea. You will probably not lose much weight, but you will lose a bit and it all helps. It is comforting to know that older people should not let themselves get too slim anyway.
If you are moderately fit a walking for fitness program will be good for your heart, blood pressure and general quality of life. One of the problems of old age is that people lose muscle mass. It is quite dramatic, as between the ages of 30 and 80 some muscles lose up to 80 percent of their strength. For building up leg muscles walking is excellent and for the arms and upper body gentle exercise with weights will help. But if you want to combine walking with upper body exercise Nordic Walking with poles is a good way of doing so.
It is recommended that older people should carry out at least 30 minutes physical activity a day. This does not have to be concentrated, such as taking a half hour walk or lifting weights for 30 minutes, although it can be if you wish. The 30 minutes can be spread out over the day and might be housework, or gardening or carrying the shopping back from the superstore. Just try to keep active as much as possible and you will see the benefits over time.
See you soon,
Peter Stockwell
6 December 2009
Photo: Bijou Living
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