60 is the new 40

We sometimes hear people saying that they are “too old” to start exercising. After all, some believe it’s common knowledge that we “can’t build muscle” as easily as we get older. While there may be some truth to that notion, it is far from an excuse to not partake in regular exercise. Let’s dive in deeper and explain:

• While it is true that our ability to build muscle reduces as we age, that is not to say that it can’t happen at all. In fact, it’s quite the opposite! No matter what age you are, your body will benefit from exercise by building more muscle mass, increasing bone density, and toughening up ligaments and tendons. All these being extremely beneficial to our aging bodies.
• What’s more, we generally tend to be less active as we age. This alone gives our body a tremendous potential to adapt and grow muscle!

As we near our 70s and 80s, it generally becomes harder to accomplish day to day tasks. Taking on an exercise program focused on functional tasks can help maintain or improve our independence through our everyday life.

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Furthermore, there are even more benefits to engaging in regular exercise as we age, such as:

• Reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and strokes: research has proven that regular exercise decreases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and strokes
• Reducing risk of falls: Engaging in regular exercise has proven to effectively reduce the risk of falls. There are various activities which specifically work on balance, such as dancing and Tai Chi, which also doubles as a social activity!

One barrier to exercise is that we might get the wrong idea that exercise needs to be something very exhaustive when in fact, you might already be doing activities that count towards your weekly exercise goals. These might include walking, gardening, mowing the lawn, or shovelling snow. More intense exercise can include fast or Nordic walking and water aerobics, among other options. In the end, the best exercise is one that you enjoy doing and motivates you to move.

With that in mind, we hope see you exercising well into your retirement. If you have questions or would like to improve your ability to accomplish day to day activities, give us a call and book an appointment with one of our physiotherapists!

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