Exercise for Older Adults

by National Institute on Aging

You are never too old to get in shape. I am often asked what I've done over the years to stay in shape. At different times, I have engaged in many different activities. When I was in school I played football and basketball. The Marine Corps provided its own unique brand of physical training or PT. While in the space program and for many years afterwards, I jogged to stay in shape. And my wife Annie and I have enjoyed hiking and skiing over the years. Most of all, I have always valued staying active in one way or another.

From my involvement with NASA, both in the Mercury program and with the Shuttle Mission STS-95, I have become keenly aware of the effect that weightlessness can have on the human body. Without the effect of gravity, astronauts' muscles and bones begin to deteriorate while they're in space. A number of other changes occur to the astronauts in orbit - from which they recover upon their return - that also happen as part of the natural aging process right here on Earth. For one, osteoporosis sets in. These same things can happen to us if we maintain a sedentary lifestyle. This is especially true as we get older.

The good news is that exercise is just a step away. I am pleased to recommend Exercise: A Guide from the National Institute on Aging as an excellent manual for anyone who wants to take those first steps toward an active lifestyle. The scientists and doctors at the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health collaborated to produce this top-notch book. This guide contains valuable information about how exercise and proper nutrition are crucial for staying healthy as we age and provides useful tips on establishing and maintaining a regular exercise program.

In my case, I had to make accommodations to my advancing years by modifying my exercise regime. In the past, I was an ardent jogger, but as I got older my doctor said that the impact of running was putting too much stress on my knees and other joints. He suggested that I take up speed walking instead. Along with that, I do some weight lifting and stretching. So now I still get a great workout, but by doing exercise that is appropriate for my age and physical condition. This guide will help you do the same.

I hope you will read this book and follow its suggestions. We can all enjoy healthy and productive senior years by heeding these recommendations.

Welcome to one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself. Exercise! Regular exercise and physical activity are very important to the health and abilities of older people. In fact, studies suggest that not exercising is risky behavior. That is why we wrote this book. We are the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health, and our research is aimed at improving the health of older people.

For the most part, when older people lose their ability to do things on their own, it doesn't happen just because they have aged. More likely, it is because they have become inactive. Older inactive adults lose ground in four areas that are important for staying healthy and independent: endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility.

Fortunately, research suggests that you can maintain or at least partly restore these four areas through exercise - or through everyday physical activities (walking briskly or gardening, for example) that accomplish some of the same goals as exercise. What may seem like very small changes resulting from exercise and physical activity can have a big impact.

Getting Past The Barriers

You may be reluctant to start exercising, even though you've heard that it's one of the healthiest things you can do. You may be afraid that physical activity will harm you; or you might think you have to join a gym or buy expensive equipment in order to exercise. Or, you may feel embarrassed to exercise because you think it's for younger people or for people who look great in gym clothes. You may think exercise is only for people who are able to do things like jogging.

In fact, just about every older adult can safely do some form of physical activity at little or no cost. And you don't have to exercise in a public place or use expensive equipment, if you don't want to.

Even household chores can improve your health. The key is to increase your physical activity, by exercising and by using your own muscle power.

Who Can Exercise?

Studies show that, in the long term, older adults in all age groups hurt their health far more by not exercising than by exercising. As a rule, older people should stay as physically active as they can.

Chapter 2 of this book explains that there are certain situations in which you should check with your doctor before starting to exercise. You will also find out about a couple of conditions that prohibit exercise. More than likely, though, reading Chapter 2 will reassure you, but if you still have any doubts about exercise, talk to your doctor before you start.

What Can Exercise Do for Me?

Most people know that exercise is good for them. Somehow, though, older adults have been left out of the picture - until recently. Today a new picture is emerging from research: Older people of different physical conditions have much to gain from exercise and from staying physically active. They also have much to lose if they become physically inactive.

Exercise isn't just for older adults in the younger age range, who live independently and are able to go on brisk jogs, although this book is for them, too. Researchers have found that exercise and physical activity also can improve the health of people who are 90 or older, who are frail, or who have the diseases that seem to accompany aging. Staying physically active and exercising regularly can help prevent or delay some diseases and disabilities as people grow older. In some cases, it can improve health for older people who already have diseases and disabilities, if it's done on a long-term, regular basis.

About the Author

www.nia.nih.gov
NIA, one of the 27 Institutes and Centers of NIH, leads a broad scientific effort to understand the nature of aging and to extend the healthy, active years of life. In 1974, Congress granted authority to form NIA to provide leadership in aging research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs relevant to aging and older people.