Exercise and Physical Activity for Older Adults

As people age, they tend to be comfortable staying in their homes and get into the habit of not venturing out as much as they did when they were younger. As a result, older adults often lose out on the benefits of physical activity, even if they are healthy and don't face barriers that would prevent them from exercising. 

That's a shame because physical activity is so important. Here's why every older adult should consider becoming more active.

Benefits of physical activity for older adults

Many people lose interest in the physical activities that they used to participate in when they were younger because they feel as though they have less strength and energy than they used to. 

Although this may be true, there are still activities older adults can participate in even when they have health issues or injuries. Limited mobility can often lead to anxiety and depression. Much of the elderly population is also afraid of injuring themselves during exercise. Exercise and physical activity for older adults is essential because it provides a number of benefits for the body and the mind. There are many different types of exercise that a more mature individual can incorporate into their lives. These exercises will help them with a number of health ailments, give them maximum benefits that will have them feeling better, and looking good, all while maintaining a holistic approach to their well-being.

According to the Mayo Clinic Staff often people believe that exercise will cause joint pain and stiffness, but this is indeed a faulty belief. People who do not exercise actually experience more problems with tight joints, pain and stiffness. The reason for this is that the surrounding muscle and tissue of joints need to be strong in order to support the bones efficiently, not exercising decreases the strength of muscles and tissue. Therefore, by not exercising the bones become weaker and are more prone to breaking because of this.

Even if an older person has a current health condition that makes physical activity difficult, many exercises discussed in this article can be adjusted for any fitness level. Consultation with a licensed medical professional prior to starting any type of exercise program is highly advised. Once the consultation is completed and an older adult gets the green light from their doctor, they can choose which exercise best suits their individual needs.

Exercise and Physical Activity for Older Adults

Just because an exercise is low-impact doesn't mean it isn't effective. Many people who are aging can benefit from a number of lower-impact exercises that will help them add variety and decrease the chance of losing interest and becoming bored with an exercise. Below are a number of exercises that an aging individual can engage in 3 to 4 times a week for about 30 to 45 minutes a day.

Walking or Power Walking and Walking at an Incline

Walking or Power Walking

Did you know that walking is a great way to burn calories, and add variety to a workout all while allowing a person to experience the beauty of nature and the environment around them? Many cities and countries all over the world have special walking trails. These walking trails allow an individual to take in the scenery all while effectively exercising the body and getting some much-needed fresh air. 

Wendy Bumgardner who is a walking guide, suggests that in order to live longer and healthier, walking or exercise needs to be included in the daily regime.

In her article, she cites a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine, which exemplified that there was a direct connection to the amount of physical exercise and years lived without cardiovascular disease.

If walking down a straight and narrow path seems a little mundane, then why not try one with curves and different inclines?  

Walking at an Incline

Walking at an incline helps to further increase cardiovascular endurance because the muscles in the legs have to work even harder to propel the body forward and upward and over an obstacle. Try incorporating a nice walk through the woods that has a combination of inclines.  

A path that has small hills dispersed throughout can help increase physical fitness and cardiovascular health because the heart has to work at two different levels throughout the walk. This allows the body to burn calories and increases physical endurance, which is an excellent way to stay in shape. 

Walking Indoors 

If walking outside due to environmental conditions or if time is limited a treadmill can be just as effective. This allows a person to adjust the settings on the treadmill from slow to fast.  They can also adjust the incline from straight to steep. By using these two modes of speed and inclines during an exercise routine can help a person experience a great workout. 

Low Impact Exercise such as Dancing 

Enjoy dancing? Why not incorporate a low impact exercises by joining a health club or one of the many public organizations that have dance classes available. Many of these classes are taught by professional dance instructors who have a passion for dance.   

Many organizations also offer classes throughout the year at many different times throughout the day. Therefore, if morning exercise is not a feasible routine, many offer mid day and night classes that anyone can fit into their lifestyle. 

This type of exercise is great for people who are more mature because they limit the chance of injury. This is because many of these dances are lower impact, yet work many of the major muscle groups within the body, which is essential for an effective exercise routine. 

Tai Chi for Elderly?

This is an excellent exercise for the more mature individual and helps to increase oxygen flow within the body, promotes feelings of well being and also helps to engage and strengthen many of the muscle groups within the body. 

According to the NCCAM National Institutes of Health website, the concept of Tai chi uses two metaphysical components of energy. These forces are a combination of yin and yang, which are the differential forces within the body. The other aspect is qi, which is an essential component of vital energy. When a person practices the techniques of Tai chi they are said to promote a well balanced energy of yin and yang. This helps promote qi energy within the individual. 

Many of these exercises that Tai Chi uses are slow well concentrated movements. This exercise has been known for having a number of health benefits, which include anxiety and depression. This is because during the exercises these movements incorporate breathing techniques that put the mind at ease and channel nervous energy into a deeper relaxed energy. This helps to calm the mind and the spirit while inducing a sense of calm within the soul.

In studies performed by NCAMM, researchers have found that many of the results favored Tai Chi in helping a number of different health ailments, such as bone loss prior to menopause, depression in elderly individuals as well as various types of arthritis. These being, osteoarthritis in the knee and rheumatoid arthritis.

In Conclusion

By incorporating many different types of exercises from an array of disciplines can give the more mature population a more fulfilled life with many health benefits. These physical benefits include  better physical fitness, strengthens muscles and joints which helps reduce the risk of injury. Exercise  for the elderly population also has a  multitude of preventative techniques that fight against  the formation of various types of cardiovascular disease and osteoarthritis. There are also many mental benefits as well, such as a decrease in the likelihood of depression, a better spiritual connection with the self and  a better sense of well being. With so many benefits it's hard to resist not trying at least one of these exercises.