Aging and exercises

Dr Sanskruti Tahakik

As geriatric physiotherapists ask what is healthy aging and which exercises should be done by older people to age gracefully?

The signs of individual who is aging healthy are:

1 Absence of disease and disability

2. High cognitive and physical functioning.

3. Active engagement with life.

Sub-optimal lifestyle leads to chronic health problems that affect function and thus the ability to engage in community or family activities.

Although helping older adults avoid disease and disease-related disability is a central consideration for geriatric physical therapist, the reality is that majority of older adults do have at least one chronic health condition. We need to optimize functional capacity (the capability of performing task and activities which are necessary for daily lives) regardless of the presence or absence of chronic health condition. Our aim is achieving this optimal functional ability; as physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyle is significant risk factor for developing many chronic conditions that impact functional capacity. Thus, physical activity and exercises are vital to health and functional capacity.

What kind of physical activity is advised to geriatric population?

*Improving physical activity level can prevent or delay some ill effects of aging but their is a difference between physical activity and exercise. Physical activity is any movement a person does like walking, stair climbing that is carried out by the muscles that require energy. Where exercise is planned, structured, repetitive and intentional movement like yoga, Tai-chi, brisk walk and aerobic exercise.

*The exercise should incorporate all necessary parameters to promote desired functional capacity. Only morning walk is not enough. The protocol should include strengthening, endurance training, balance exercise and task specific exercises.

*Exercises which can be performed for 5 days/week for at least 30 min/session. And this exercises should be done under guidance of geriatric physical therapist who can plan individualized exercise plan for you as per your age, gender, disease condition and current functional capacity. Few exercises are recommended for everyone to improve and maintain the physical activity level at optimum and reduce time in sedentary activities. Sitting is bad as smoking for our health.

*You should set goal for yourself and this goal should be Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant & Time-bound (SMART). And the second most important thing in exercise is adherence to your goals. This can be built by step by step process in which achieving the one step will build self-efficacy and motivate you to go further on your way to healthy aging.

(The writer is assistant professor, MGM Institute of Physiotherapy, Aurangabad).