At least 2 days a week of muscle strengthening activities. Older adults should engage in at least 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, ideally spread over several days. Moderate intensity aerobic activities include brisk walking, cycling, swimming, dancing and nature walks. There are no official fitness guidelines for older adults, but basic exercises for seniors are the same at any age.
ATLANTA — Osteoporosis is a common condition among older people. It is characterized by fragile bones due to reduced bone mass (density). The fragile bones are prone to fracture. Research finds that bone mass in older women can be increased by physical activity.
To determine if physical activity can actually reduce the risk of broken hips, a large multi-center study was conducted. Almost 10,000 women over 65 years of age were examined. The results of this important prospective (forward-looking) study were presented in the Annals of Internal Medicine issue dated 15. released July 1998. Gregg of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and his colleagues at medical centers in the United States examined the women for an average of 7.6 years and found that higher levels of leisure, exercise activity and heavy housework, as well as fewer hours of daily sitting, were associated with a significantly reduced risk of broken (broken) hip bones.
Gregg’s group found that women who were highly active and engaged in activities such as tennis or aerobic dancing had the largest (36%) reduction in hip fractures. In addition, women who engaged in lower-intensity activities such as walking, gardening, or social dancing for at least one hour a week had significantly reduced the risk of hip fractures.. What’s important is that strength is not only a function of mass. It is also a function of so-called neurological patterning..
For laypeople, patterning means that the brain sends electrical signals to the muscles via the nervous system to contract them.. For example, when you think of walking down the street, bending down to pick up something, or any other movement, the brain first processes the thought and finds out which muscles are needed to move, and then sends the signal through the nerves to the respective muscles necessary for movement. The muscles move (and so do you) as soon as the signal reaches them. For more information, see How muscles work.
This explains the 113% increase in strength that Boston nursing home residents saw in the study cited earlier.. In another study that specifically looked at this phenomenon, 67- to 81-year-old men lifted weights for six weeks while connected to electrodes that measured their nerve and muscle patterns (an electromyogram device). There is good news that should encourage us all when it comes to fitness, walking endurance, and health.. In a classic study of walking and mortality in 700 men who participated in the Honolulu Heart Program, the mortality rate for men who walked less than a mile a day was almost twice that of men who walked more than two miles a day..
Studies on women showed similar results). Another study analyzed data collected from more than 41,000 men and women from 1990 to 2001 to find the relationship between walking and mortality. The good news is that some studies, but not all, show improvements in flexibility when individuals participate in exercise programs that include stretching exercises.. Unfortunately, the studies on flexibility in the aging population are not as complete as for strength and endurance studies, but the studies suggest that there may be significant improvements in the range of motion of various joints (neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee and ankle) when stretching exercises are prescribed.
It’s just that it’s not clear how much flexibility training older adults should do to maintain a good range of motion and joint function.. The balance decreases with age, and consequently the decline is a big problem for older people. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in three Americans over 65 years of age falls each year, and among those aged 65 to 84, falls account for 87% of all fractures and are the second leading cause of spinal cord and brain injury. The good news is that physical activity can improve balance and reduce the risk of falling..
The results of a study of 256 older adults (70 to 92 years, mean age 7 years) who participated in tai chi for six months found that people taking tai chi experienced 52% fewer falls than those who did not.. Osteoporosis is responsible for 2 million fractures a year. The good news is that exercise can increase bone density in some older people.. The exact amount and type of exercise required to achieve a benefit is unknown, but encouraging research shows that weightlifting and even just walking can increase bone density in the hip and spine.
The reason for this may be that weightlifting puts stress on bones when muscles contract (causing bones to thicken), and walking also causes stress on bones, stimulating them to grow.. Many aging adults are prone to osteoarthritis (the type of arthritis that affects the bones by wearing out the pillow that cushions the space between them). In a large study of 439 adults (60 years and older) with osteoarthritis who completed either aerobic exercise (walking) or resistance exercise (weightlifting) for 18 months, other studies confirm that exercise can improve the function of people with arthritis. For more information on exercise and in particular their PACE program (people with arthritis can exercise), visit the Arthritis Foundation website.
They offer exercise videos and water classes across the country.. People with diabetes can control and prevent low or high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia) by logging your blood sugar levels when eating and fasting and eating foods high in carbohydrates and sugars, such as. B. Buttered potatoes, sweets, sugary desserts and fatty foods.. Before you start any exercise program, it’s important to consult a doctor to make sure you’re healthy enough for exercise and which exercises are ideal for your current fitness level. Talk to a GP first if you haven’t exercised for a long time or if you have any medical conditions or concerns.
Exercise also improves muscle strength and bone density, which is especially important for women as they lose bone density faster than men after menopause.. If you don’t move around very well and prefer to work out sitting, try exercise videos on a chair. In recent years, water aerobics has become an extremely popular form of exercise for all age groups, but especially among seniors. There’s also a good chance that the exercises you used to be used to might not be ideal for older adults..
When it comes to choosing the best strength training exercises for seniors, consider the activities necessary for daily life. I don’t think anyone can argue with the idea that exercise is good for you, no matter what age, and most importantly, that it’s never too late to start. When self-reliance is a priority, exercise is one of the best ways to maintain older adults’ independence. In a large study of 439 adults (60 years and older) with osteoarthritis who completed either aerobic exercise (walking) or resistance exercise (weightlifting) for 18 months,.
Dumbbell exercises are some of the best ways for seniors to train strength if done with the right precautions.. For example, you may want to do balance exercises on one leg that mimic walking when you are unsure when walking (when you walk, one leg is in the air). Talk to your doctor before doing these exercises if you have a balance disorder or are worried about whether it is safe for you to do these exercises.. Exercise is important at all stages of life, but maintaining independence is important for seniors, among other things.
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References:
- Senior Exercise: How to Start At Home & Health Benefits
- Physical activity guidelines for older adults – NHS
