Fitness After Fifty

Balance Fitness: Senior Focus

 

We all look for ways to achieve balance in our lives.  Hopefully, you have achieved a certain amount of balance when it comes to social interaction, life goals, achievements, and inner peace. As we get older we also need to consider the importance of physical balance.  If we are going to live long and well, a good sense of physical balance is of utmost importance.

 

Research shows us that 1/3 of people over the age of 65 will fall at least once a year.  Falling is the leading cause of accidental injury or death in people over 65.  I consider myself to be in good shape, but I did slip and fall last weekend when hiking and consider myself quite lucky to have come out of that one unscathed.  I am not too excited about the prospect of breaking a bone but I don’t want to give up hiking, skating, biking and the like, and I know that you probably feel the same way.  We shouldn’t have to if we take reasonably good care of ourselves, and working on balance fitness is one way to do that.

 

It is a vicious cycle.  If a fall makes you afraid, you tend to want to protect yourself by decreasing your activity, which reduces stability and increases the likelihood that you will fall again. This should tell you that fear of falling is your worse enemy, but you don’t want to let that fear keep you from being an active individual either.  The good news is that studies show that if you take care of yourself and work hard on improving your balance, that you will be less likely to fall again.

 

Balance is your ability to maintain your body in an upright position while moving.  Balancing isn’t just about being able to stay upright on skates or a bicycle; it is about ordinary activities like being able to get on and off a bus or righting yourself if you trip.  Many age related changes like visual problems, hearing disorders, decreased reactions times or problems with depth perception can lead to coordination and timing problems.  If you are experiencing more than an occasional wobble it is important to see a health care professional to be evaluated.

 

Balance problems can have devastating effects.  However, with regular exercise the muscles, joint receptors and other balance mechanisms can be trained to respond despite advancing age.  Balance exercises can help you remain independent by helping you avoid injuries that may be the result of falling.

 

How is your balance?  Try this simple test.  Stand next to a chair.  Now, stand on your right foot without holding on to the chair and count to ten.  If you did okay, try it again but with your eyes closed.  Repeat using the left foot.  People with good balance should be able to stand on one foot with eyes closed for 10 seconds without problem.  If you can’t you would probably benefit from exercises to improve your balance.

 

Experts recommend challenging your balance frequently because the more you challenge yourself the more you will improve.  There are exercises that you can do at home or at the gym that target strength training as well as balance.  If you like group activities try yoga or tai chi.  Balance is important enough to warrant a discussion with your health care provider and a referral to a therapist if you need help setting up a program.

Knee Health and Aging

One out of two people will develop osteoarthritis in a knee over the course of his or her lifetime.  Pretty high odds aren’t they?  If you are over 60 the chances are that you have felt a few twinges already.  Not surprising I suppose, as the knee is the largest joint in the body and it is very complex. 

 

Does being physically active increase your chances of knee pain?  I would guess that with a one in two chances of knee discomfort that the answer would be a definite maybe…maybe yes, maybe no. 

 

Studies (Arthritis Today, Jan/Feb2009) indicate that being overweight is more detrimental than anything else.  People who have maintained a normal weight over their lifetime have the lowest risk.  If you gain weight, you are going to get arthritis in your knees and you are going to be miserable.  Every pound that you carry puts five pounds of added stress on your knees.

 

What about exercise?  The good news is that motion is lotion for your knees (Michael O’Shea/ Parade Section of The Seattle Times).  Strengthening the muscles of the thighs can help prevent knee trouble.  New studies show that exercise protects knees and eases arthritic pain. For a long time there was a lot of concern about running being a sure way to ruin your knees, but recent studies show that this was not the case.  There is no evidence to indicate that mild to moderate impact on the joints promotes development of arthritis.

 

So, what do you do to promote healthy knees? Watch your weight, exercise, pace yourself (know your limits and warm up sufficiently before you exercise) and don’t wait too long to see a doctor if you are experiencing problems.  Many knee patients just need physical therapy and home exercises to treat their conditions.  Your knees are import to you.  If you experience pain or discomfort in any way consult your health care team for advice and treatment. With good prevention and maintenance, you can have knees to last a lifetime.

Bone Health and Exercise

 

I just filled out a little osteoporosis evaluation score sheets that I found in a fitness book.  I was rather alarmed to find that I fell into the category that said I should be evaluated further for osteoporosis.  This didn’t set too well with me because I take my Calcium and I exercise, in other words I thought I was doing everything right.  The two questions that pushed me over the edge were age and weight so it is looking like I should seek medical advice.

 

Since when did getting old become such a liability?   During your younger years, you have a natural bone building ability.  Bones grow in length and mass until you are between 25 and 35 years of age, and after that you start to lose bone faster than you form new.  It seems that after you peak it is all down hill, although your outer bone can continue to thicken by means of exercise.

 

People tend to ignore there bones until something catastrophic happens so it is not surprising that osteoporosis sneaks up on them.  It is never too soon or too late to take measures to improve your bone health.

 

What do your bones do for you?  Your skeletal system protects your internal organs from injury as well as providing support and leverage so that you can walk, swim, and play. In addition they serve as a reserve for the calcium that is vital for muscle contractions and other metabolic processes.  As you can see, bone health is not something to be taken lightly.  For most people, bone density and strength decline rather gradually.  The end result is osteoporosis when degradation happens faster than the rebuilding process.

 

We all know that osteoporosis is one of the most dreaded diseases; it is also one of the most common.  Osteoporosis, for the most part, is preventable or at least controllable and maybe even reversible if taken seriously.  The first line of defense is determining if you are at risk for developing it or if you already have it.

 

It is never too late to think about bone loss, but do think about it.  The formula is rather simple because it is basically the same as for any of the body systems.  Exercise, good nutrition and supplements, and being followed by your physician for screening and advice are the same old mantra.

 

What kinds of exercises are needed to improve bone density?  Weight bearing exercises are essential for maintaining and building strong bones.  Bones react to stress (pressure) and become stronger.  The more healthy weight bearing pressure you apply the stronger your bones become.  Walking is good; running is better but adding resistance and weight training is recommended.  Resistance Bands provide the weight load without the risks associated with free weights or certain exercise machines.  If you are already experiencing symptoms of osteoporosis it is essential that you ask your doctor and physical therapist for advice about an exercise program, or to explore the possibility that medication might help you.

 

Source: Raugh, Randy, MPT  “Prime For Life” (2009)

Flexibility/Age Related

Exercise isn’t all about buffing up at the gym or having fun playing sports.  As you get older, whether you exercise or not could very well determine whether you will be able to maintain an independent lifestyle.  At fifty your focus begins to change and you start to feel older.  You still look good and feel pretty good, but your body has reached its peak and the changes associated with aging start to kick in, ready or not.

 

One of the first things that you will notice is that you aren’t as flexible as you used to be. A decrease in flexibility isn’t something that you can see, as it sneaks up on you rather gradually.  Individual differences make it hard to measure and it is difficult to make comparisons between yourself and someone else. It is human nature to be amazed and a bit jealous when we watch dancers or gymnasts jump do amazing feats, while we struggle to touch our toes.  The good news is that flexibility is not necessarily related to fitness, and you will probably be surprised to learn that extreme flexibility can actually make a person more prone to injury.

 

What is flexibility anyway?  Flexibility is the ability of the body to bend without breaking.  It is what makes your body pliable. That makes sense doesn’t it? It is flexibility that lets your joints bend repeatedly without injury.  If you don’t think this is important it is time to think again, especially if you have noticed that it isn’t quite as easy to turn your neck to look over your shoulder as you back out of the driveway.

 

 We all lose flexibility as we age.  Loss of flexibility happens when our collagen structure begins to change.  Collagen is a protein that is found in connective tissue  (skin, muscle sheath, bone, tendons, ligaments and cartilage). As you age the collagen fibers begin to stick together making the connective tissues less elastic, which means that your ability to move easily is compromised and you may experience a decrease in basic range of motion. Flexibility also decreases as a result of inactivity, meaning that you just stiffen up.   If you stretch your muscles, ligaments, and joint capsules regularly you may be able to avoid some of these problems

 

Flexibility exercises help to keep your body limber by stretching the muscles and tissues that hold your body’s structure in place.  Staying limber not only helps your balance but it makes it easy to perform daily activities. Physical Therapist recommend stretching exercises to help people recover from injuries and to prevent injuries from happening in the first place.

 

Guess what?  You don’t need to be as flexible as a dancer or a gymnast. Your goal is simply to concentrate on maintaining a full range of motion.  This means things like bending your neck, looking over your shoulder, bending over to pick up something, walking with a longer sturdy stride, or being able to rotate your spine. I think you will agree that in the long run this is pretty important stuff.  Flexibility is something that we take for granted until notice that we feel stiff and sore a good share of the time.  Well welcome to my world!  

 

How do you improve your flexibility without hurting yourself?  Stretching exercises give you the freedom to do the things you need to do.   You can progress in your stretching exercises but never to the point of pain. It is important to stretch regularly. Warm up first.  Do your stretching exercises after you’re your strength exercises, or at the very least do some easy walking and arm pumping first.  Relax as you hold a stretch and do it slowly and steadily, never bounce. Focus on the part of the body you are stretching and breathe into the stretches.  If just standing against the wall and stretching is boring for you please check out my articles on Oxycise, Yoga and Tai Chi. If you experience anything more than just mild stiffness it would be a good idea to consult your physician and a physical therapist to be tested and to get a true feeling for your flexibility. They will devise a program that will be most effective for you. Flexibility training must be done regularly.  Come on now.  We can do this!

 

Sources of information:

Moffat , Marilyn, PT, PhD, FAPTA. Age-Defying Fitness (2006)

Raugh, Randy, MPT. Prime For Life (2009) 

Active Senior Feet

Gone are the days of toe rings and colored nail polish.  One of the joys of aging is that feet are not only less attractive but are prone to being sore and more vulnerable to injury.

 

Be that as it may, we are grateful that they still carry us from point A to point B, and are willing to concede that spending a little more money for comfort and safety are well worth the effort.  It is more important than ever to buy comfortable shoes and soft functional socks to prevent blisters and other irritations from occurring.

 

Many seniors enjoy hiking and will put ordinary folks to shame as they work their way along the trails in a businesslike fashion.  I read the article by Park Ranger Ralph Radford in the Washington Trails Magazine (July/August 2009) about blister prevention with great interest.

 

Blister are usually caused by the friction and heat generated when your skin rubs against your shoe/hiking boot.  The author makes most of his references to hiking boots, but it is not unusual to get blisters from regular walking shoes too if you are not careful.  It doesn’t take much of an irritation to cause a blister.  It may be something as small as a grain or sand, a piece of gravel, or just having hot sweaty feet.

 

Good footwear is of the utmost importance.  Your boot should fit like a glove, and should be of a breathable material that provides ventilation and reduces moisture.  Your toes should have room to move but you want to make sure that your foot doesn’t slide inside of the boot when you are walking.

 

The next step is finding a good sock and liner.  Your run of the mill sock can actually trap heat and moisture against your foot.  Ideally, you should pick a sock and liner that will wick the moisture away from your foot and allow your feet to breath.  If you can feel a hot spot developing you can treat it by apply moleskin or duct tape to the area (remove when you are through walking so that the skin can recover).

 

The author goes on to discuss what to do if you do get a blister.  Do not puncture the blister unless it is painful or you are unable to walk because if it.  If you do find it necessary to puncture it, use a sterilized needle near the edge of the blister.  Apply antibiotic ointment and a dry sterile dressing and watch for any signs of infections such as pus, redness or increased pain.  It would be a good idea to add duct tape or moleskin to your first aid kit when you take to the trails.