There have been a number of articles in the media recently about the benefits of exercise. Physical activity has been shown to improve the health and wellbeing many different groups of people, including those undergoing treatment for cancer, people with depression, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. It has also been show to have a very significant impact in improving function, independence and decreasing falls risk in the frail and elderly.

Exercise for older adults includes the same components as it does for everyone else the community. Regular, planned exercise can benefit older people (over 70 years) even more than their younger counterparts though, as their life in generally tends to be more sedentary.

We know that losing muscle bulk is part of the aging process. On average, we lose 30% of our strength per decade (once we’re over the age of 70). In fact, research has shown that 65% of people over 75 years old cannot lift more than 4kg (Campbell 2002). This can make things like lifting groceries, or even the kettle, really difficult! We also know that this weakening process is accelerated by the lifestyle we’re inclined to adopt as we get older – more sitting/resting, less lifting, less stair climbing. Overall, this results in reduced fitness, agility and endurance and ultimately, decreased quality of life.

Another scary fact is that as we become weaker, we are at a greater risk of having a fall. In Australia this year, it is estimated that there will be more than 20 000 people suffering hip fractures (Cummings 2009) and this risk is higher if you have osteoporosis.

Of those people who have a fracture, the risk of complications is high and the mortality rate is about 20%, as patients develop conditions such as pneumonia. Even those who have a successful recovery, rarely return to their normal activities.

The good news is that most of these factors can be slowed and even reversed by undertaking a regular exercise program. Any such program needs to focus on three key areas – Strength, Endurance and Balance.

Resistance training can have excellent results and improve muscle strength by more than 100%! Functionally, this can have a huge impact on your life by improving your ability to do things like walking fast enough to cross a road at the lights and being able to climb stairs. It can even make completing the housework easier, especially tasks like vacuuming and lifting mattresses to make the bed. Strengthening activities often include exercises like lifting weights, but… they can also include things like sitting to stand out of a chair, stepping up and down stairs, carrying groceries – activities that are relevant, don’t require a lot of extra equipment and are easy to complete. They can also have a direct effect on making your life easier.

Strength training works best when you’re working at an intensity that means you can complete 10-15 repetitions before you need a rest. That is, you may be able to stand up out of a chair 10 times, before you need to rest for a minute. For maximum results, three sets of each exercise should be completed.

Cardiovascular training is really important for increasing your energy and fitness, to get through the day. Exercising for the elderly is no different to any other group.

The Australian Government recently published recommendations for physical activity in older Australians, suggesting that 30 minutes of moderate level activity is required per day (Minister for Aging, 2009). This can be done in 10 minute intervals.

By moderate activity, we mean exercise that is strong enough to cause you to puff and pant a little, but still be able to hold a conversation. Another way to think about this is on a scale. The RPE scale (rate of perceived exertion) is a great tool for monitoring how hard you are exercising. The scale is 1-10 and its graded are as follows:

On this scale, moderate exercise would mean a rating of 4, 5 or 6, in the ‘somewhat hard’ category.

Maintaining good balance and agility is a very important part of walking about with safety. Exercises that challenge you to stand on one leg or transfer your weight from one leg to the other, are an excellent way of reducing falls risk. Exercise such as tai chi, yoga and dance has shown to be very effective in improving stability. In fact, studies have shown that Tai chi is effective in decreasing falls risk by nearly 50% (Evans, 2004)

Of course, if you are feeling quite unstable when you’re walking, an aid such as a walking stick or even a frame may be appropriate may help to increase your confidence - you are much better off using an aid that allows you to keep moving, rather than not using an aid and limiting your mobility. While staying sitting may stop you falling, it also means you will eventually get weaker and maybe lose some of your independence.

Before you get a walking aid, however, it is advisable to speak to your doctor or a physiotherapist for a professional recommendation.

The general message is really ‘move it or lose it’… Older people can benefit just as much as younger people when it comes improving fitness and the impact of exercise on improving general health is unquestionable. Before starting any new exercise program you should consult you doctor and of course, if you need guidance in where to begin, come and talk to us.

References

Campbell, A, (2002), “Preventing Fractures by Preventing Falls in Older Women”, Canadian Medical Association Journal, Oct, 169 (9).

Cummings, R “Hip Fractures: Controlling the Epidemic”. Available: Online [22 June 2009]

Evans, W (2004), “Protein Nutrition, Exercise and Aging”, Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol 23, no 6, pp 601S – 609S

Minister for Aging, (2009), “First Physical Activity Recommendations for Older Australians”. Available: Online [23 March 2009]

NZ Government “Falls are the single most common cause of injury”

We understand that so many of our new customers come from our wonderful existing customers passing our name on. So, as a gesture of our gratitude, we are now introducing a ‘loyalty bonus’.

Whenever you refer a new client to our business make sure they put your name down in the ‘Referral’ section of the Client Information sheet.

As a bonus, you will then be sent out a voucher for $20.00, which can be redeemed on your next visit towards payment of either treatment or physio products, such as theraband, lumbar rolls, stretchbands, foam rollers etc.

This voucher is transferable to immediate family members, but cannot be redeemed for cash.