Senior Fitness Tips
November 13, 2009 by pja · Leave a Comment
Exercise and Physical Activity: Getting Fit For Life
“After walking on a treadmill at the local community center, I knew I'd be happier outside. So, I got a step counter and started walking in my neighborhood. Since then, I've seen yellow tulips bloom in spring and red dogwood leaves drop in fall. I always come home with more energy and happy to go on with the rest of the day.” Marian (age 77)
“Both my wife and I have heart problems. About 2 years ago, we joined our local health club, where we do both endurance and strength training exercises. On the off days, we walk near our house. It’s been life-saving for us.” Bob (age 78)
These older adults are living proof that exercise and physical activity are good for you, no matter how old you are. In fact, staying active can help you:
•Keep and improve your strength so you can stay independent.
•Have more energy to do the things you want to do.
•Improve your balance.
•Prevent or delay some diseases like heart disease, diabetes, breast and colon cancer, and osteoporosis.
•Perk up your mood and reduce depression.
You don’t need to buy special clothes or belong to a gym to become more active. Physical activity can and should be part of your everyday life. Find things you like to do. Go for brisk walks. Ride a bike. Dance. Work around the house. Garden. Climb stairs. Swim. Rake leaves. Try different kinds of activities that keep you moving. Look for new ways to build physical activity into your daily routine.
Four Ways to Be Active
To get all of the benefits of physical activity, try all four types of exercise – 1) endurance, 2) strength, 3) balance, and 4) flexibility.
1.Try to build up to at least 30 minutes of activity that makes you breathe hard on most or all days of the week. Every day is best. That’s called an endurance activity because it builds your energy or “staying power.” You don’t have to be active for 30 minutes all at once. Ten minutes at a time is fine.
How hard do you need to push yourself? If you can talk without any trouble at all, you are not working hard enough. If you can’t talk at all, it’s too hard.
2.Keep using your muscles. Strength exercises build muscles. When you have strong muscles, you can get up from a chair by yourself, you can lift your grandchildren, and you can walk through the park.
Keeping your muscles in shape helps prevent falls that cause problems like broken hips. You are less likely to fall when your leg and hip muscles are strong.
3.Do things to help your balance. Try standing on one foot, then the other. If you can, don’t hold on to anything for support. Get up from a chair without using your hands or arms. Every now and then walk heel-to-toe. As you walk, put the heel of one foot just in front of the toes of your other foot. Your heel and toes should touch or almost touch.
4.Stretch. Stretching can help you be more flexible. Moving more freely will make it easier for you to reach down to tie your shoes or look over your shoulder when you back the car out of your driveway. Stretch when your muscles are warmed up. Don’t stretch so far that it hurts.
Who Should Exercise?
Almost anyone, at any age, can do some type of physical activity. You can still exercise even if you have a health condition like heart disease or diabetes. In fact, physical activity may help. For most older adults, brisk walking, riding a bike, swimming, weight lifting, and gardening are safe, especially if you build up slowly. But, check with your doctor if you are over 50 and you aren’t used to energetic activity. Other reasons to check with your doctor before you exercise include:
•any new symptom you haven’t discussed with your doctor
•dizziness or shortness of breath
•chest pain or pressure, or the feeling that your heart is skipping, racing, or fluttering
•blood clots
•an infection or fever with muscle aches
•unplanned weight loss
•foot or ankle sores that won’t heal
•joint swelling
•a bleeding or detached retina, eye surgery, or laser treatment
•a hernia
•recent hip or back surgery
Safety Tips
Here are some things you can do to make sure you are exercising safely:
•Start slowly, especially if you haven’t been active for a long time. Little by little build up your activities and how hard you work at them.
•Don’t hold your breath during strength exercises. That could cause changes in your blood pressure. It may seem strange at first, but you should breathe out as you lift something, and breathe in as you relax.
•Use safety equipment. For example, wear a helmet for bike riding or the right shoes for walking or jogging.
•Unless your doctor has asked you to limit fluids, be sure to drink plenty when you are doing activities. Many older adults don’t feel thirsty even if their body needs fluids.
•Always bend forward from the hips, not the waist. If you keep your back straight, you’re probably bending the right way. If your back “humps,” that’s probably wrong.
•Warm up your muscles before you stretch. Try walking and light arm pumping first.
Exercise should not hurt or make you feel really tired. You might feel some soreness, a little discomfort, or a bit weary, but you should not feel pain. In fact, in many ways, being active will probably make you feel better.
Medlineplus
Physical Activity for Seniors
April 3, 2009 by jjai · Leave a Comment
Physical Activity is Essential to Healthy Aging
As an older adult, regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. It can prevent many of the health problems that seem to come with age. It also helps your muscles grow stronger so you can keep doing your day-to-day activities without becoming dependent on others.
Not doing any physical activity can be bad for you, no matter your age or health condition. Keep in mind, some physical activity is better than none at all. Your health benefits will also increase with the more physical activity that you do.
CDC
Balance Problems
December 3, 2008 by kalic · Leave a Comment
As people grow older, they may have difficulty with their balance. Roughly 9 percent of adults who are 65 and older report having problems with balance.
Having good balance means being able to control and maintain your body's position, whether you are moving or remaining still. An intact sense of balance helps you
- walk without staggering
- get up from a chair without falling
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climb stairs without tripping
Good balance is important to help you get around, stay independent, and carry out daily activities.
Many people experience problems with their sense of balance as they get older. Disturbances of the inner ear are the main cause. People feel unsteady, or as if they were moving, spinning, or floating.
Vertigo, the feeling that you or the things around you are spinning, is also a common symptom. Experts believe that more than 40 percent of Americans will experience dizziness that is serious enough to go to a doctor.
Balance disorders are one reason older people fall. Falls and fall-related injuries, such as hip fracture, can have a serious impact on an older person's life. If you fall, it could limit your activities or make it impossible to live independently. Many people often become more isolated after a fall.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of adults ages 65 years and older fall each year. Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths.
There are many types of balance disorders. One of the most common is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV. With BPPV, you experience a brief, intense feeling of vertigo that occurs when you change the position of your head.
You may also experience BPPV when rolling over to the left or right, upon getting out of bed in the morning, or when looking up for an object on a high shelf. BPPV is more likely to occur in adults ages 60 and older, but can also occur in younger people.In BPPV, small calcium stones in the inner ear become displaced, causing a person to feel dizzy. The cause of BPPV is not known, although it may be caused by an inner ear infection, head injury, or aging.
Another type of balance disorder is labyrinthitis. This is an infection or inflammation of the inner ear causing dizziness and loss of balance. The labyrinth is the organ in your inner ear that helps you maintain your balance.
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National Institute On Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV)
November 25, 2008 by kalic · Leave a Comment
Herpes is an infection that is caused by a herpes simplex virus (HSV). Oral herpes causes cold sores around the mouth or face. Genital herpes affects the genitals, buttocks or anal area. Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). You can get it from having sex, even oral sex. The virus can spread even when sores are not present. Mothers can also infect their babies during childbirth.
Some people have no symptoms. Others get sores near the area where the virus has entered the body. They turn into blisters, become itchy and painful, and then heal. The virus can be dangerous in newborn babies or in people with weak immune systems.
Most people have outbreaks several times a year. Over time, you get them less often. Medicines to help your body fight the virus can help lessen symptoms and decrease outbreaks. Correct usage of latex condoms can reduce, but not eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading herpes.
MedlinePlus
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
November 25, 2008 by kalic · 2 Comments
- Are sexually active and younger than 25
- Have more than one sex partner
- Douche
Some women have no symptoms. Others have pain in the lower abdomen, fever, smelly vaginal discharge, irregular bleeding or pain during intercourse. Antibiotics can cure PID. Early treatment is important – waiting too long increases the risk of infertility.
Source: National Women's Health Information Center
