'Move It or Lose It' is Good Advice for Seniors

Source: Tufts University
January 11, 2002 (Reviewed: January 26, 2004)

As people grow older, they may find themselves needing assistance with activities that were once effortless, such as walking up stairs and carrying groceries. Limitations in the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) are not only frustrating, but also increase the need for outpatient care and hospitalizations. A recent study published in Archives of Internal Medicine highlights a solution to minimize age-related disabilities - exercise.

Two kinds of exercise

The 250 study participants were older men and women with knee osteoarthritis severe enough to cause some pain and interference with normal functioning. The researchers randomly assigned the volunteers to one of two exercise groups or to a control group. The first group participated in a program comprising 40 minutes of walking, plus warm-up and cool-down. The second exercise group exercised using hand weights, a form of resistance training. Initially, both of these exercise groups met three times each week. The control, or placebo, group attended arthritis management classes every month.

Every 3 months over the next 18 months the volunteers reported any new or increased difficulty getting around or decreases in upper body strength. They also noted any changes in their ability to perform ADLs, including bathing and transferring from a bed to a chair.

Over the course of the study, those in either exercise group were about 40% less likely to develop a limitation. These findings held true even after considering other differences that could affect ability, such as age, weight, and any previous disability.

Exercise your abilities

Exercise builds muscle strength, improves flexibility and balance, and increases lung capacity, all of which are used during everyday tasks such as putting away groceries and housecleaning. There is even evidence that regular exercise has favorable psychological consequences, too, and it contributes to a positive outlook.

Once is not enough...

To enjoy any of the benefits of exercise--weight loss, increased strength, and decreased stress--it has to be done regularly. In this study, the volunteers who were the most compliant (having completed about 80% of the sessions) were the ones who showed less decline in their ability to perform daily functions.

Group exercise programs, like those used in this study, have the advantage of mutual support and social interactions. You can inquire at local health clubs, senior centers, and even churches for classes geared specifically for older people. Having company to walk or work-out with on a regular basis can make exercise more fun and increases the likelihood that you'll stick with it. The advice to 'move it or lose it' applies to seniors, too.

Source

• Physical exercise and the prevention of disability in activities of daily living in older persons with osteoarthritis. B. Penninx, S. Messier, J. Rejeski,  et al., Arch of Intern Med., 2001, vol. 161, pp. 2309--2316

Related Links
Physical Activity: Antidote to Aging
How to Start Exercising
Keep on Walking
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