Full article here.
Physical alterations that occur with aging can affect recovery times and increase injury risk. For example, tendons, which attach muscle to bone, become more brittle with age, says David Geier, MD, orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in the Charleston, South Carolina, area. This may be due at least in part to the fact that tendons lose water over time, making them stiffer and less tolerant of stress. (Smoking has also been shown to damage tendons.)
“Tendons become less resistant to sudden changes, so you’re more likely to take longer to recover,” says Geier. “And many people often find themselves with nagging tendonitis,” or inflammation of the tendon.
Pushing through tendonitis can result in the tendon breaking or rupturing, which can lead to permanent disability if not repaired. Geier cites the case of a 51-year old patient who needed surgery for a torn Achilles tendon after he began doing sprints.
Bones can also weaken with age. Osteoporosis, a loss of bone mass, isn’t just a women’s problem; Geier says it can happen to men as well.
Weight-bearing exercises help to build and maintain bone density. Examples of high-impact exercise include dancing, jumping rope, climbing stairs and tennis, as well as hiking, jogging and running. Low-impact activities include elliptical training, using stair-stepping machines and fast walking.
If you’ve broken a bone due to osteoporosis, you may need to stick with low-impact exercise; check with your practitioner first. “Impact is not usually harmful if you don’t have osteoporosis,” says Geier. “Running has been shown to actually help cartilage strength. Stop if you feel any discomfort or pain.”
Aging muscles start to shrink as well. Called sarcopenia, this condition is characterized by 3% to 8% reduction of muscle mass each decade after the age of 30. This muscle loss results in less strength and affects the ability to perform activities of daily living, making it a risk factor for a disability later in life.
Fortunately, this loss of muscle is not inevitable if you keep active; strength training can help. “Exercise later in life is even more important than when we were young,” says Michele Olson, PhD, professor of exercise science at Auburn University. “Growth hormone increases after vigorous workouts, so use these workouts as a way to raise your anabolic, aging-reducing hormones.”
Sarcopenia before age 70 is primarily due to being inactive, says Olson. “Research shows that strength gains are the same for people as old as 80 participating in regular strength training sessions. It’s never too late to start.” Walking quickly, water aerobics, riding a bike on mostly level ground, playing doubles tennis or pushing a lawn mower all qualify. Vigorous activities include jogging or running, swimming laps, riding a bike fast or up hills, playing singles tennis or playing basketball.
If you’ve not done much of anything for a while, get started by walking outdoors, suggests Tim Ramirez, DC, founder of Pacifica Wellness in Costa Mesa, California. “It’s not only non-impact, but it engages you, keeps you in the moment and connects you with nature,” he says. “If you’ve been out of shape for 10 years, though, you need to start slowly.”
Physical alterations that occur with aging can affect recovery times and increase injury risk. For example, tendons, which attach muscle to bone, become more brittle with age, says David Geier, MD, orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in the Charleston, South Carolina, area. This may be due at least in part to the fact that tendons lose water over time, making them stiffer and less tolerant of stress. (Smoking has also been shown to damage tendons.)
“Tendons become less resistant to sudden changes, so you’re more likely to take longer to recover,” says Geier. “And many people often find themselves with nagging tendonitis,” or inflammation of the tendon.
Pushing through tendonitis can result in the tendon breaking or rupturing, which can lead to permanent disability if not repaired. Geier cites the case of a 51-year old patient who needed surgery for a torn Achilles tendon after he began doing sprints.
Bones can also weaken with age. Osteoporosis, a loss of bone mass, isn’t just a women’s problem; Geier says it can happen to men as well.
Weight-bearing exercises help to build and maintain bone density. Examples of high-impact exercise include dancing, jumping rope, climbing stairs and tennis, as well as hiking, jogging and running. Low-impact activities include elliptical training, using stair-stepping machines and fast walking.
If you’ve broken a bone due to osteoporosis, you may need to stick with low-impact exercise; check with your practitioner first. “Impact is not usually harmful if you don’t have osteoporosis,” says Geier. “Running has been shown to actually help cartilage strength. Stop if you feel any discomfort or pain.”
Aging muscles start to shrink as well. Called sarcopenia, this condition is characterized by 3% to 8% reduction of muscle mass each decade after the age of 30. This muscle loss results in less strength and affects the ability to perform activities of daily living, making it a risk factor for a disability later in life.
Fortunately, this loss of muscle is not inevitable if you keep active; strength training can help. “Exercise later in life is even more important than when we were young,” says Michele Olson, PhD, professor of exercise science at Auburn University. “Growth hormone increases after vigorous workouts, so use these workouts as a way to raise your anabolic, aging-reducing hormones.”
Sarcopenia before age 70 is primarily due to being inactive, says Olson. “Research shows that strength gains are the same for people as old as 80 participating in regular strength training sessions. It’s never too late to start.” Walking quickly, water aerobics, riding a bike on mostly level ground, playing doubles tennis or pushing a lawn mower all qualify. Vigorous activities include jogging or running, swimming laps, riding a bike fast or up hills, playing singles tennis or playing basketball.
If you’ve not done much of anything for a while, get started by walking outdoors, suggests Tim Ramirez, DC, founder of Pacifica Wellness in Costa Mesa, California. “It’s not only non-impact, but it engages you, keeps you in the moment and connects you with nature,” he says. “If you’ve been out of shape for 10 years, though, you need to start slowly.”
Hope quitting the gym helps.
