Keep Moving

Physical strength is essential to making our way in this world. While we may not have to rally our muscles to subdue wild beasts or unruly neighbors, we do need them to accomplish our daily objectives. At a minimum, we have to muster the energy to get from bed to bathroom to breakfast table. Even if we make money with our minds, rather than our bodies, chances are we’ll need the stamina to sit up and manipulate a keyboard.

Some of us start out with more strength than others, and some keep it longer. Take my 78-year-old neighbor, Jerry. Several weeks ago, we teamed up to turn oak logs into firewood. As we labored together, I pondered the effects of aging on strength and mobility. Jerry showed little sign of the decreasing vigor most folks feel as they age. Despite chronic illness that affects some of his organs, he kept pace without complaint.

I suspect favorable genetics play their part, but Jerry has also had a hand in helping himself stay strong. Long a part-time farmer, he shifted to full-time after retiring from his job as an air traffic controller. I doubt Jerry has exercised on purpose since leaving the Navy as a young man. But farm life keeps him fit.

Because he’s never slowed down, Jerry hasn’t faced the challenge of starting back up. Lack of use leads to muscle atrophy, which describes the condition of muscles that are smaller and weaker. Some muscle loss with aging is normal, but avoiding physical activity accelerates the problem. Yet even if we find our muscles are missing, all is not lost.

Life-long exercise might carry a bigger payoff. But even if we get a late start, there’s a ton of evidence supporting the positive effects of exercise on preserving strength, along with a host of other major hallmarks of aging. One study revealed that even 90-year-olds can profit from a program of strengthening exercises, with benefits that include walking faster and reducing the risk of falling. 

If the prospect of digesting research papers elicits a visceral reaction, instead check out this article from the National Institute on Aging. It’s easy to chew. Still, it’s backed up by links to loads of research.

But cold data don’t tell the story like real case history. A few years back, a usually vivacious lady around age 80 came to the physical therapy clinic complaining of low back pain. On examination, I found her unable to rise from a chair without assistance. When this deficit began was unclear, but her lower extremity weakness was now a factor in producing painful stress to her arthritic spine.

Many folks know that safe lifting technique includes bending the hips and knees instead of the back. If our thigh muscles don’t have adequate strength, however, we avoid doing what we ought. Hence, I included thigh strengthening exercises in my patient’s  plan for treatment.

As I recall, it took a lot of cajoling and gentle scolding on my part to convince this lady to do the simple work of gaining muscle. But with me pushing in the clinic and her husband pulling her along at home, in a few weeks she did indeed stand up from a chair by her own power. When she left my care her back pain had improved. But more importantly, she had regained her independence and avoided the cascading effects that loss of mobility can bring to her health and lifestyle.

It’s true the years take their toll. Like an old-fashioned, windup clock, our movement will slow until we eventually come to a full stop. But that doesn’t mean we can’t keep some spring in our step with regular exercise until that time arrives 

Remember, before beginning an exercise program it’s wise to first consult a physician for a general health check-up. To reduce the chance of joint problems, start slowly and gradually increase exercise volume and intensity over time.