by Body Manoeuvres | Feb 21, 2023 | Uncategorised
Taking some time to look after your physical and mental wellness is one of the best gifts anyone can give themselves.
Many people assume that as we get older we should slow down, but nothing can be further from the truth. There are now many studies that show when we take time to improve our strength and balance this can significantly improve our physical and mental functions; it can also help to reverse some diseases and illnesses that might stop older people from retaining their independence.
How will I benefit if I do more exercise?
It will reduce the risk of falling. Currently, if you are over 75, falls are the leading cause of injury.
What sort of exercises should I do?
Strength and balance training are very effective at combatting muscle weakness and poor balance. Without these, the chance of taking a tumble is much greater.
A long-term study (American Medical Journal) published in 2014, in which 3,600 adults took part, showed that people with higher levels of muscle mass lived longer and stayed healthier. And you don’t always have to train with the heaviest weights either. A Canadian study showed that lifting lighter weights until you become tired, also helped to build strength.
If you don’t feel like going to a gym to use weights, then bodyweight exercises are also a good way to go. Exercises like squats are good for the legs and push-ups help to strengthen the arms, shoulders, and chest.
If you can incorporate some aerobic activity into your exercise plan this will help you even more. This might be finding opportunities to do more walking, becoming more vigorous with household chores, dancing, or joining an aerobics class, all will help on your health journey.
The results of a study from 2018 ( Journal article) determined regular exercise, whilst it is important throughout all of our life, turns out to be the most important factor in promoting a “high health-related quality of life in our later years”.
So, if you want to add years to your life, invest in yourself through some physical activity.
If you’re not sure where to start, I specialise in working with older clients to keep them strong, mobile, independent, and upright.
Contact me for more information.
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by Body Manoeuvres | Feb 14, 2023 | Uncategorised
Are you finding that some tasks you used to be able to do easily are becoming harder?
Unfortunately, despite some of the great medicines and treatments we have available to us today, there are some aspects of becoming older that start to occur naturally.
However, the good news is that we can do things to slow these aspects down.
What might happen to my body as I age?
As we age we will find that our bones might shrink, they can lose density (osteoporosis) and, our muscle mass starts to decrease. Our muscles, tendons, and joints can also lose strength and flexibility with age, which affects coordination, stability, and balance.
How can we reduce the natural effects of getting older?
The answer is strength training, and it is critical to do this as we age. Problems with bones, muscles, and joints can be minimised with a fitness programme that has an emphasis on strength, balance, and core movements.
So what exercises will help to keep me strong and mobile?
Firstly, exercises to improve the strength of the core. All movements, even though we may not be aware of it, start with the core; our core muscles steady our body and make balance and posture easier. They are the main support for our spine. There are compound exercises that help to build the core as well as the plank.
Secondly, find exercises to strengthen the legs. If we find ourselves sitting more than we used to, our leg muscles will weaken. This means that our legs will not be strong enough to hold us upright, possibly resulting in falls and stumbles. Practicing squats is like getting in and out of a chair and is a great way to build leg strength.
Thirdly, find exercises to improve balance. Balance is key so that we can stay upright and avoid serious falls which may impact the quality of life afterward. The single-leg exercise is a great place to start using a wall or chair to steady yourself; timing yourself and seeing if you can increase how long you can stand on one leg will improve strength and balance. Always remember to do this with a small bend in the standing leg.
Keeping strong as we get older is a key way to maintain health our independence – keep it at the top of your mind and to-do list every day.
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by Body Manoeuvres | Feb 4, 2023 | Uncategorised
Falls among seniors can unfortunately have severe consequences sometimes. The single biggest cause of accidental injuries in the home are falls, and people over the age of 65 are by far the most affected. (Cause of accidental injuries at home).
Figures from Feb 2022 from gov.uk (Falls and health) have estimated that unaddressed fall hazards, in the home, are estimated to cost the NHS in England £435 million. Wearing the right footwear can go a long way in reducing the chance of a senior person having a fall.
So what footwear can help to minimise a fall?
Firstly, wear shoes and slippers with closed heels. Closed heels help to ensure that the person’s foot will be more stable and snug in the footwear, and not slide around. An open-heeled shoe or slipper will mean that the person will often start to grip with their toes, to keep the footwear on. This can result in shuffling and increase the likelihood of a fall.
Secondly, size – the shoe needs to fit correctly, neither too tight, (which might cause foot pain) nor too loose (as the foot slips and slides again).
Thirdly, heel height – a low heel is best; high heels, whatever age, are bad for posture, balance, and how we walk. Low-heeled shoes provide greater stability and heels should ideally be no more than one inch high.
Fourthly, shoe weight, design, and sole – you want some flexibility on the sole of the shoe, but not too much, as this could contribute to a twisted ankle. Shoes need a good tread and be made of slip-resistant material. The shoe should also not be too heavy as they may have trouble lifting their feet which may result in a shuffle and a fall.
Lastly, when you decide to buy some new shoes, do so in the afternoon, as often the feet can swell later in the day, which will impact the width of the shoe that is suitable.
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by Body Manoeuvres | Jan 28, 2023 | Uncategorised
In 2018 The Lancet Global Health (The Lancet Article) reported that 27.5% of people globally do not get enough physical activity (this was from a survey size of nearly two million people).
A global physical activity target of 10% was set, but they have maintained that if current trends continue this target will not be achieved. The report stated that “policies to increase population levels of physical activity need to be prioritised and scaled up urgently”.
What are the health benefits of physical activity?
The health benefits of physical activity are well established and being mobile is one of the keys to living a life well and remaining independent.
As we get older collagen in our body starts to break down, this is a natural process, so over time it will be more difficult for joints to achieve their full range of motion. And there are also some conditions, for example, osteoarthritis that will impact our ability to move well.
If we stay active as we age, then we have a better chance of retaining our muscle strength.
Unfortunately, as we age we may decide to “take it easier”, we sit more, move less, and soon find that it is harder to reach into a cupboard for an item, you put off going up and down stairs and bending down to reach into the washing machine. For these moves, we need our shoulder joint, ankle joint, and hips and knees to stay working for us.
What movement is good to do to maintain our mobility as we age?
Firstly, stay active. A 2021 study from JAMA Network Open (Article) reported that up to 40 percent were less likely to develop mobility problems over a six-year span compared to those who were less active. Their light physical activities include walking, gardening, and drying dishes.
Secondly, find different moves to do. A combination of different activities during the week is important. Our bodies are built to do hundreds of different moves and if we keep repeating the same ones our joints won’t love us for it.
Thirdly, if you do find yourself sitting for long periods, get up and move and take a standing break, and do this frequently during the day. The Journal Of Gerontology (Article) reported in 2015 that adults who took more frequent breaks had a better physical function.
And finally, stretching and bending really helps joint mobility. These do not need to be hard stretches, but ones that are gentle and leave the body feeling good.
The popular sayings, “Use it or lose it” or “Use it and keep it” have never been truer, and it’s never too late to start.
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by Body Manoeuvres | Jan 17, 2023 | Uncategorised
There are some common myths relating to older adults and exercise, which include:
- Decline in old age is inevitable – I should expect to become frail
- If I exercise I might fall and break a hip, and
- I’ve never exercised, and it’s too late to make any difference.
However, Professor Daniel Lieberman, from Harvard, believes that this is a “pernicious myth” and that maintaining motor function and increasing bone mass can drastically boost our “healthspan” (those years in our life in which we are generally in good health).
In the UK one in four people do fewer than 30 minutes of physical activity per week, whilst 1 in 6 deaths is caused by inactivity (https://www.sportengland.org/research-and-data/research/inactive-people).
What does history tell us?
Professor Lieberman, in looking back at our evolutionary biology, noticed that hunter-gatherers stayed fit into their old age because of how they lived. To survive they needed to walk, bend, lift and carry – all these daily activities ensured that they maintained their muscular physique and strength.
In our modern world technology now underpins every aspect of our daily life – whether that’s using washing machines, tumble dryers or iRobot vacuums. Prior to these amazing developments, we needed to move and use our muscles to get basic jobs done in the home and garden.
What should we do to maintain our health as we age?
Firstly, do not cut back on exercise – maintain what you do or consider increasing it.
Secondly, continue with cardiovascular work – it is important, whether that be walking, dancing, rowing or cycling – or whatever you like to do.
Thirdly, begin strength training if you don’t do this already – this helps to maintain motor function and bone mass. It is possible for older people to increase their muscle mass and bone density. It is recommended that adults over 60 should lift weights two to four times per week.
What are the benefits of movement and exercise as we age?
It can save time and money, whether that’s visits to the doctor or hospital, paying for medications, or needing to pay for care as we get older.
As a human race we were born to move to survive, and that applies to us whether we are 6, 26, 66 or 86.
What’s your next move to increase your “healthspan”?
by Body Manoeuvres | Jan 10, 2023 | Uncategorised
Recent research has shown that someone’s ability to stand on one leg, or not, is an indicator of health. The ability to balance on one leg can increase our fitness and potentially help us to live longer, remain active, and decrease our risk of falling.
In April 2021 the World Health Organisation (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/falls) reported that falls are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths worldwide and 37.3 million falls are severe enough to require medical attention each year. Falls that are fatal are seen as a major public health problem – they come in second to fatalities from road traffic accidents.
When we were young
Children that are active learn to balance on one leg as part of growing up – playing games and doing sports. However, as we age, we often do less of these types of activities – and in a world where technology has taken over many of our daily tasks, we move even less. The mantras – “use it or lose it”, or, “use it and keep it”, has never been more important than now.
The cost of falling
These are varied – from the costs associated with hospitalisations, there may be time taken off work, special physio sessions required to become active again, changes may need to be made in the home, and special equipment purchased.
For some people, if a fall is life-changing this may result in long-term care and possibly a care home or nursing home.
Who is at risk of falling?
Age is a key factor and older people have the highest risk of sustaining death or injury from a fall.
Both genders are at risk of falling and the time that people can stand on one leg also varies for men and women at different ages (https://www.sralab.org/rehabilitation-measures/single-leg-stance-or-one-legged-stance-test).
It’s been noted that falls for men are more likely to be fatal, whilst women suffer more non-fatal falls.
Should I start standing on one leg?
Studies have shown that being able to stand on one leg, improves overall balance in a person and reduces the risk of falling. Standing on one leg can also help to improve bone density, especially around the hips. Both men and women are at risk of osteoporosis, although it occurs in a higher number of women. Having higher bone density also means that if someone does fall, they are less likely to fracture.
And if you’re looking for somewhere to start – we are advised to brush our teeth twice a day – so there are two opportunities to practice and get going.
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