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Physical activity and ageing
Many people accept aches, pains, weaker muscles and slowness in walking as an inevitable part of old age. Yet many of these symptoms are not the direct result of ageing, but of the physical inactivity that often goes hand in hand with getting older.1 Increasingly, studies into age-related decline are showing that many aspects of the ageing process are avoidable, and even reversible, by staying physically active. What's more, starting an exercise programme is a great way to be socially active and to make new friends. Whatever your age or ability, physical activity still has an important role to play in raising and maintaining your quality of life.1,2
Getting startedIf you haven't exercised for some time, then getting active again can seem difficult or even frightening. Sylvie Silver, leisure services manager at BUPA Care Homes Arbrook House, explains: "People who have been immobile and isolated for a long time often find the idea of exercise intimidating. They just don't believe they can do it anymore." But with gentle encouragement and a gentle start, virtually anyone can enjoy and benefit from exercise, says Sylvie. "We have an exercise class once a week for the residents at Arbrook. It is led by an ex-Royal Marine - but a very gentle one! The attendees range in age from 78 to 98 and about half of the class are in wheelchairs." Exercise can also make day-to-day life more enjoyable. Sylvie explains: "Exercising the upper body is important - when you are wheelchair-bound your shoulders and neck can lock up, and can even cause problems with eating. By loosening joints through gentle exercise, residents can enjoy their food more easily."  What sort of exercise should I do?The sort of exercise programme you should embark on depends on how fit you are to start off with. Let's face it: there are 80-year-olds running the marathon every year, a feat that most 18-year-olds couldn't manage! But if you are over 65 and you have been inactive for some time, it is important to start with a more gentle activity.3 Many people associate staying fit with organised exercise. Yet everyday activities provide an important part of fitness. Your ultimate aim is to be active for at least 30 minutes at a time for five days a week. You can build up to this amount slowly, and you can take exercise in short five- or 10-minute chunks. Ways to get fit can include:
Try to build the length and activity of these activities up gradually - for example building up a daily five-minute amble in to a brisker, half-hour walk. Once you feel a little more confident about your abilities, how about trying out a group activity? Meeting up with a friend or neighbour for a walk, taking up bowling or doing a spot of gardening together with your family can have tremendous physical and psychological benefits. Sylvie Silver agrees: "People always benefit from group activities - its an opportunity to get together for a chat as much as anything else! If you have a structured, scheduled activity like our gym class for residents every week, then you know it is there, and you make that extra effort to attend even if you don't feel like it." Are there any activities that I should definitely avoid?If you are over 65 and are currently inactive, starting with high-impact exercise (exercise where your body experiences hard jolts as you hit the ground - for instance, road jogging) may not be the best starting point. Sports that involve jumping and sudden jerky movements, such as squash or netball, are not advisable initially either. If you like, you can build up to these activities later, as the saying goes: don't run before you can walk. What about if my health is poor?If you have a chronic illness, you should speak to your GP before starting to exercise. This is particularly important if you suffer from an unstable heart condition. But don't assume that your days of activity are over because you are ill - it may be more important than ever that you stay active. Physical activity can help to control symptoms of many chronic illnesses and can slow their progression. For instance, endurance activities like walking or gentle swimming can help to lower blood pressure and reduce blood levels of HDL cholesterol, two major risk factors in heart disease.4 Exercise will also help you to reduce your body fat and improve your ability to process glucose5 in the long term. The aspects of fitnessJust as a bodybuilder does not have the same capabilities as a marathon runner, there are many different aspects of fitness and ways to keep fit as you get older. Strength and aerobic fitness are both important in helping you to maintain mobility and independence into old age. Aerobic fitnessAerobic fitness is related to the effective functioning of your heart and lungs. If you are aerobically fit, then your body will be able to deliver oxygen more efficiently around the body and your heart is put under less strain. Aerobic fitness typically declines with age - but this can be prevented by staying active. Aerobic exercise can be any form of rhythmic activity that uses the major muscle groups and can be continued for some time. Examples include walking, jogging, cycling and swimming. Regular aerobic exercise will benefit you because it:
StrengthWhen you are strong, you have a high proportion of muscle tissue in your body. We use muscle in all of our daily activities, from the explosive burst of strength needed to lift a heavy box, to the endurance strength needed to walk five miles. With muscles it is a case of "use it or lose it" - when you do physically taxing tasks, our body responds by building more muscle, but when you are sedentary, the proportion of muscle in your body declines. Most people lose striking amounts of muscle as they age. Between the ages of 30 and 80, up to 60 percent of the strength in back, arm and leg muscles can be lost.2 However, there is strong evidence that this decline can be halted, and even reversed, by regular training.2 Activities that help to build and maintain muscle include many household tasks such as gardening and digging. If you want to systematically increase your muscle mass then training with weights in a gym class can help. It will also help to concentrate on aspects of strength that work to maintain your balance. Yoga and core strength training classes are ideal in this respect. The benefits of strength training include:
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