I’m too old.
I’m not as young as I used to be.
It’s just my age.
My body is stuffed.
It’s too cold.
I can’t get any improvements at my age.
These are just some of the common excuses that are heard everyday as to why elderly people don’t exercise or don’t begin exercising. You may also hear in the media that elderly people should not lift weights, or they should not do any exercise that puts load on their joints. Most of the time these claims are made by people who have no qualifications or understanding of how the human body works. Contrary to this there is actually a large body of evidence out there that encourages and promotes aerobic, resistance and mobility exercise for the elderly.
A study published in the Journal of Ageing and Health by Robert Simmons and Ross Andel looked at whether consistent walking and resistance exercise for people aged 65 years or older increased their functional ability. Their study found a significant increase in lower and upper body strength as well as increases in flexibility, agility and balance for the people involved in the study. These improvements allowed these people to continue to complete their daily tasks and feel more confident in their own ability.
Now you may be thinking to yourself that’s all well and good but what if I am unable to walk around for an extended period or what if I struggle to get up and down out of chairs. Is there any hope for me?
Well don’t fret because there is still a wide range of things you can do to help get you moving and improve your function. Walking for a couple of minutes a day, lifting some small weights when you are sitting in your chair or even just standing up and sitting back down a few times a day will all have a benefit on your body and help you to stay independent.
So, if you are starting to find it more and more difficult to complete your daily chores and tasks as you get older, start exercising. I guarantee you will start to feel better and more confident in yourself and if you are unsure where to begin consult an Exercise Physiologist. They will be able to give you the knowledge and tools you need to get you moving again.
