Library Offers Tips for Staying Fit in the Later Years

The hosted a lecture on keeping fit in the later years led by Stephen Joseph, a physical therapist, certified athletic trainer and certified strength and conditioning specialist from PRN Physical Therapy in Holbrook.

Before starting any exercise program, it is important to get medical clearance from a physician, Joseph urged the audience. Aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities are both critical for healthy aging, he said. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, “the promotion of physical activity in older adults should emphasize moderate-intensity aerobic activity, muscle-strengthening activity, reducing sedentary behavior and risk management.”

Warming up is very important, Joseph said, as you can’t go from inactivity to hard activity because your muscles lack oxygen. Your heart benefits from a warm up as well and it needs an increased blood supply to function during exercise. Next Joseph offered some warm-up tips. “The simplest warm up is to perform your planned fitness activity at a slower pace,” he said. Five to 10 minutes is an acceptable warm-up time, or as soon as you begin to perspire.

Next up is stretching activities, which should be performed after the warm up. Stretching lengthens and loosens the muscles. Rules to follow when stretching are no bouncing, holding the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds, stretching to comfort and maintain proper posture, he said. Audience participation was encouraged as Joseph went over all of the different stretches including trunk, shoulders, hip flexors, calves, quadriceps, hamstrings and lower back.

Strength training is very important as shown by these statistics. The rate of strength loss is 12 to 14 percent per decade after the age of 50. After age 74, 28 percent of men and 66 percent of women can’t lift 10 pounds. Strength training helps to prevent osteoporosis and loss of bone mass.

Some strength training activities demonstrated during class included squats, step training, push-up, tricep push downs and kickbacks, bicep curls and postural re-training.

When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, especially in older adults, it is important to use a number scale (1 to 10) and work at your rate of perceived exertion. You should be able to converse while exercising, Joseph said, and you should stay in the 6 to 8 zone.

Balance training is another important aspect of fitness, especially in the later years when falls and accidents are more likely. Thirty-three percent of those 65 and older fall each year. The risk of falling increases 300 percent in the next year following a fall. Twenty five percent of fall victims never regain independence and 10 percent die as a result.

When balancing training it has to be meaningful, Joseph said, like reaching for an item. Practice doing things you would do in your normal everyday life. Cooling down afterward is just as important as warming up. “Don’t stop exercising suddenly; it causes leg muscles to decrease the pumping of blood upwards,” he said. “After cooling down, post-stretching activities are the same as the pre-stretching ones. All of these activities can be done in your home, at a gym, in a pool, on vacation and modified for your fitness level.”