Benefits of Regular Exercise for Elderly People

by

Jemes Lewis

The benefits of regular exercise throughoutlife are often touted by various health practitioners and experts. Despite this, many people still do not know much about

exercises for elderly people

. They incorrectly assume that people who are over 65 years of age should not exercise. This is a complete misconception. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians almost all older people can greatly benefit from additional physical activity. It goes without saying that these exercises have to be recommended by a certified physical trainer to ensure safety. Fortunately, properly designed exercise programs for the elderly can help seniors better manage chronic diseases, improve their mood and lessen their chances of injuring themselves during day to day activities.

Maintaining a regular exercise regime provides a myriad of health benefits to the senior citizens. Gentle cardiovascular exercise helps improve the function of the heart and lungs, improving stamina and reducing the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. If an elderly person already has some symptoms of hypertension, exercise can help lowerblood pressure readings into a healthy range. When aerobic exercise is combined with sensible dietary changes, seniors can often reduce their \”bad cholestrol\” while increasing their \”good cholestrol\” levels. Doing exercises to build and tone muscles enables seniors to regain the strength they may have lost due to years of inactivity. Both men and women lose bone mass as they age. In fact, post-menopausal women can lose as much as 2 % of their bone mass each year. Strength training exercise protects the bones of the elderly against the loss of bone mass and hence, reduces the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. Incorporating functional movements like walking, reaching, standing up and sitting down can make exercise programs for the elderly even more effective by improving balance and confidence. Improving flexibility by stretching reduces the risk of injury, improves circulaion and helps seniors better manage stress. As we age, our bodies do take a little longer to repair themselves. Fortunately, with moderate physical activity, people of all ages and ability levels can lead much healthier and happier lives. In fact, the benefits of regular exercise for the elderly far outweigh the risks. Even older people with chronic diseases can exercise safely if they receive proper guidance from a certified personal trainer. In summary, ideal exercise programs for the elderly must consist of the following components – aerobic exercise, strength training, balance and flexibility.Many medical conditions including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritus, osteoporosis and obesity can be positively impacted by regular physical exercise. A healthy, strong body is better prepared to fight off infection and illness, and more quickly recover from setbacks. The key to any exercise program for the elderly

is to start slowly and gradually increase the intensity of the workout program over time.

Jemes Lewis is an established fitness expert. He has written many informative blogs and articles on

in home fitness training

. To read more of his articles on

fitness training at home

, please visit:

benefitpersonaltraining.com/

.

Article Source:

ArticleRich.com