You're Never Too Old To Exercise
“I’m too old to exercise!”
“I’ll hurt myself.”
“I don’t move like I used to.”
These are some common excuses that older individuals say about exercise. Are these statements true though to the point that a person, as they get older, can no longer become more active? Is it really too late to start?
Dr. Beth Templin holds a Clinical Doctorate in Physical Therapy and is a board-certified specialist in geriatric physical therapy. Here’s what she has to say:
“Myth 1: I’m too old to start exercising.
This is completely false. Age does not play a role in your ability to exercise. Research on healthy aging shows that exercise for aging adults is not only safe but beneficial. People can safely begin to exercise in their 70s, 80s, and beyond. It’s never too late to get started, and it does not matter if you’ve never exercised before.
No matter what your current age or fitness level, your body benefits from exercise. In fact, exercise is such an important part of healthy aging that the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 150-300 minutes of physical activity each week for all ages, stretching its former recommendation of 150 minutes per week. However, any amount of exercise is beneficial, from formal exercise to "exercise snacks"—just moving around a little whenever you can.
Myth 2: Walking is enough.
I tell my clients all the time that walking is one of the single best exercises out there for you. But is it enough? The answer is no. While walking is a great way to work on your endurance, it does not specifically address the other four areas of fitness: strength, balance, posture, and flexibility. In order to stay active and independent, you need to address all of these areas with your fitness routine.
For a well-rounded exercise program, participate in a variety of activities. It’s also important to make sure that the activities you choose are challenging enough to make positive changes in each of the areas of fitness. Too many times, people just don’t push themselves hard enough to reap the benefits. So, while I recommend a walking program to all of my clients, it should not be the only activity in your exercise toolkit.
Myth 3: I shouldn’t lift heavy weights; I might hurt myself.
While weight-lifting may be a little intimidating to those who have little or no experience, it can be done at any age with minimal risk of injury as long as it is done correctly. Why do it? Because you need to be able to safely lift heavy things in your day-to-day life. For example, a full gallon of milk weighs approximately 8 pounds, and those super-size laundry detergent bottles weigh about 12 pounds.
When you start to lose your strength, you are more likely to lose your independence. Usually, poor strength will show up as difficulty with going up and down the stairs, trouble getting up from a low chair, or being unable to get up and down from the floor without help. In addition to losing your independence, another concern is risk of injury. As you get weaker and are challenged with lifting something heavier, your risk of hurting yourself increases dramatically.
Myth 4: Exercise will only make my arthritis worse, so I need to rest.
This is false. The Arthritis Foundation actually supports exercise as a way to help manage your arthritis! It may seem logical that increased activity will cause more damage to your joints, but research supports the idea that exercise is the best way to manage arthritis pain without the use of pain medications or surgery.
I find myself telling clients that “motion is lotion” all the time, and it’s really true. Our bodies were designed to move. The biggest challenge for most people is finding the right kind of exercise to help relieve their arthritis aches and pains. Another benefit of exercise is it helps you to maintain your independence, even if the pain doesn’t completely resolve.
Myth 5: It’s not safe for me to exercise due to my current health condition.
Incorrect. Many health conditions can be improved by proper diet and exercise, including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s. In fact, there isn’t a chronic medical diagnosis out there that doesn’t benefit from exercise. The key is finding the right kind of exercise to get the benefits.
If you are unsure about the right kind of exercise for your condition, consult a physical therapist. Physical therapists are movement specialists. We are highly trained in various medical issues and know how to safely create, adapt, and monitor an exercise program to meet your needs. We focus on helping you improve your activity level, your independence, and your overall health. When needed, we will work closely with your physician to make sure your exercise routine is safe for you.
I hope that you’ve found this information helpful. Whether you haven’t exercised in a long time, or you’ve never really exercised before, there’s no reason why you can’t start to move more now. Exercise is truly the key to staying active, strong, and engaged in life as you age. Once you realize this and prioritize exercise in your life, you’ll never look back.”
We hope these tips encourage you to be more active as you get older. If you’d like ideas on how to incorporate movement throughout your day without spending time in the gym, come join our RISE Coaching Program!
