Reducing Disabilities in 60-somethings!

A recent study revealed that more people are entering their sixties with disabilities.

The study from UCLA looked at basic activities of daily living such as walking throughout the house, climbing stairs, mobility, and simple household tasks.  It appears that those in this age group are seeing an increase in disabilities related to these activities.

Besides the obvious advice to remain physically active to help reduce this occurrence, I would offer some specific recommendations:

Getting up from a chair or getting out of bed - practice bodyweight squats to keep your lower body both strong and flexible.  Hold onto something for support if necessary - assisted squats with a suspension trainer like the TRX will work.

The same goes for the typical loss of mobility that may occur with aging - Move it or Lose it!  Don't spend all your time sitting.

If you can't go anywhere to walk than walk up and down the stairs several times throughout the day.  Remember, exercise doesn't have to be 30 minutes of continuous activity to be effective, according to recent guidelines set forth by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association.

Doing step up exercises with your own bodyweight or dumbbells will help maintain leg strength and balance - both are crucial to maintaining mobility and preventing falls.  Resistance (strength) training is also key to maintaining joint stability and bone health.

Most strength programs for those over 50 involve exercises in a seated or lying position.  There are a couple of problems with this:  One, these positions don't require you to develop coordination or balance in a standing position, which is where most activities of daily living occur.

Two, exercise done while seated places more stress on your back, according to spine studies done in the '70's.  Seated exercises in positions of poor posture places even more stress on the spine.  Since most people in this age group have had postural changes, I think you can see the risk  potential here.

The first step is to maintain an active lifestyle, including some form of resistance training.  For those who have already lost some mobility and strength, you would be advised to work with a professional who can guide you safely through some type of program.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan