We all know that exercise is good for weight loss, but what if weight loss is not your concern? What if you are over the age of 50? 60? 80? Why would someone in advanced age care about lifting weights or increasing their heart rate? Is exercise contraindicated for someone in their 90s? What about in an individual with dementia?
Read the top 5 researches reasons why anyone, regardless of age or weight, should start exercising.
1. Prevent Bone Loss
Bone loss begins in your 30s! Resisted strength training spurs bone growth and increases bone mineral density by as much as 8%, according to a 2017 study in The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness
2. Prevent or reverse muscle loss
Progressive increased resistance training slows or even reverses muscle loss, which allows for decreased strain with getting out of a chair or getting off of the floor. Muscles protect and support your joints; decrease knee pain by increasing muscle strength around the joint!
3. Make every day easier
Strength increases walking speed, makes getting out of a chair easier, and decreases limitations in daily activities like bathing and making a meal, according to a 2009 Cochrane Review
4. Boost mood
Resistance training reduces symptoms of depression, eases anxiety, and may increase serotonin to boost mood, according to a 2018 review in JAMA Psychiatry
5. Ease pain
In a 2016 review in Clinical Rehabilitation, resistance training reduced knee arthritis pain by 41%, and stiffness by 31%
Not sure what strength exercises you should be doing?
The best exercises are the ones that you will do consistently. If you have heart disease, joint pain, diabetes, or other health conditions, a physical therapist will be able to determine your target heart rate goal and which weights and types of exercises you should be doing. Get assessed to determine which exercises are safe and effective for you! Call 734-735-2421 today to speak with a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy about setting up an evaluation.
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