Example 1: 60-year-old grandma walks 20,000 steps a day and gets rid of bone spurs
Kimberly, a 60-year-old grandma, had nothing to do at home after retirement and gradually gained weight. In order to stay healthy, she started exercising.
She couldn't handle intense exercise, so she chose walking instead. She even bought a fitness tracker to count her steps and made sure to walk at least 20,000 steps every day. Even when her knees didn't feel comfortable sometimes, she persevered with gritted teeth for the sake of her health until she reached her goal.
After some time passed, her weight did go down but new problems arose - Kimberly found that only a few minutes into walking would cause pain in the back of her heel. Her daughter took her to the hospital where it was diagnosed as plantar fasciitis and an X-ray showed that there was a bone spur on top of her heel.
Example 2: 62-year-old aunt cured fatty liver by occasionally taking a walk
Aunt Jennifer started gaining weight at around the age of 55 and developed mild fatty liver. Later, under the guidance and advice of her doctor, she began exercising regularly. However, Aunt Jennifer did not exercise every day; she only walked for about four days a week. If she felt uncomfortable during exercise, she would immediately stop and not force herself to continue. She persisted in exercising for several years while also controlling her diet. When Aunt Jennifer went back to the hospital for a check-up, it was found that her fatty liver had disappeared.
After the age of 60, how should elderly people exercise?
Is it reasonable to exercise more before the age of 40 and not at all after the age of 60?
Professor Xu Zaichun, a nationally renowned Chinese medicine expert, believes that exercising more before the age of 40, less after the age of 50, and not at all after the age of 60 is the best way to live longer. So for elderly people over 60 years old, should they rest or exercise more?
A study led by French scholar Benjamin Landré published in The British Medical Journal recruited 6,194 participants who underwent three assessments on their physical abilities (including walking speed, sitting and standing ability, grip strength) during a period of nine years from 2007 to2016. It was found that as physical ability declined after reaching65 years old,the riskof death increased. Signs of declining physical ability appeared ten years prior to death.
In fact,a previous Korean study found that moderate exercise can help prolong life for elderly cardiovascular disease patients.The study recruited6076cardiovascular disease patients aged ≥60years old,and divided them into four groups based on changes in their exercise habits: Group A did not continue exercising;Group B stopped exercising;Group C startedexercising;and Group D continuedexercising.After two-year follow-up,it was foundthatthe mortality ratein group Awas4.8/100 person-years,far higher than those in Groups C(3.5/100 person-years)andD(2.9/100 person-years).The non-cardiovascular disease mortality risksinGroupsCandDwere reducedby27%and39%,respectively compared with Group A.
Therefore,it can be seen that for elderly people over sixty years old,persisting with regular exercises has greater benefits for their health.
Elderly people who persist in exercising may reap four benefits.
If elderly people can stick to exercise, there are many benefits.
It can enhance heart and lung function. When walking, strong support from the heart and respiratory system is essential. Therefore, if you can persist in exercising, it helps to strengthen heart and lung function, promote blood circulation, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
It can delay aging. A study involving nearly a thousand people published in AMA Network Open showed that people who walk fast (speed > 0.8 meters/second) age slower than those who walk slowly (<0.6 meters/second) in terms of various functions such as lungs, teeth, brain etc., making them look younger.
It can prevent dementia. Persisting with exercise helps stimulate the cerebral cortex to keep it excited so that one looks more energetic with better memory capacity which has some help for preventing dementia.
Increase bone density. Persisting in exercising helps to promote blood circulation in the bones, enhance material metabolism, reduce calcium loss, increase bone density and prevent problems such as osteoarthritis.
Therefore, for health and longevity purposes elderly individuals should not be lazy; appropriate exercises are beneficial for both physical and mental health
Four Misconceptions About Exercise
These four misconceptions about exercise are best avoided. Although older people are encouraged to exercise, it is important to pay attention to the correct methods of exercising and avoid falling into these misconceptions. In terms of choosing a type of exercise, a study published in the "Journal of Aging and Physical Activity" conducted by the National Cancer Institute in the United States involving over 270,000 participants aged between 59-82 years old with a follow-up period of up to 12 years showed that playing ball games was the most effective way for middle-aged and elderly people to live longer, reducing their risk of death from any cause by 16%. Of course, as long as there is enough exercise time, aerobic exercises such as running, cycling, swimming and walking can also reduce the risk of death by 13%. Therefore, in order to stay healthy and live longer lives, older people should actively participate in physical activity. However during exercise it is important to avoid these four major misconceptions:
- Any form of exercise will do. This can be dangerous; for example those with high blood pressure or heart disease should not engage in intense activities such as jumping rope or basketball; patients with osteoarthritis should not climb mountains or stairs which may worsen their condition. It is recommended that individuals choose an appropriate form of physical activity based on their own conditions.
- Starting without adequate warm-up preparation. If you start exercising without proper warm-up preparation you may easily suffer from sports injuries. It is recommended that you perform at least 15 minutes warm-up exercises until sweating slightly and breathing becomes slightly difficult before starting your workout routine.
- Exercising when it's just getting light outside Some people like going out early morning for outdoor workouts because they feel there are fewer people around ,the air quality is better,and they feel more comfortable.However if lighting conditions aren't good,it's easy to trip and get scratched. In addition, during the winter when temperatures are low, going out too early can easily lead to catching a cold. Therefore it is recommended that you wait until the temperature has risen slightly before exercising in the morning or choose to exercise around 3pm in the afternoon.
- Exercising even when sick When you're sick, it's important to rest instead of pushing yourself through exercise as this may not only be detrimental for your recovery but also worsen your condition. If you experience discomfort such as nausea, dizziness, chest tightness, chest pain or shortness of breath during exercise then stop immediately and rest on site; if necessary seek medical attention.
Conclusion
For middle-aged and elderly people , regular physical activity is an effective way to stay healthy and live longer lives.Therefore older people should be encouraged to participate actively in physical activity.However,it is important to pay attention to correct methods of exercising so as not harm one's body.
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