Most people know that physical activity is important. In fact, not getting enough exercise has been linked to illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, high blood pressure and lung disease. So, the important question is not if you need to be doing some form of physical activity to protect against diseases like these, but how much is enough?
The US Department of Health and Human Services answered that question for us in 2008 with their recommendations for physical activity for seniors. To improve or maintain health, adults over age 65 need to do 2 types of physical activity: aerobic exercise and strengthening. Particularly currently, when persons of all age groups have been forced to be less active in the community due to the coronavirus pandemic, we need to focus as a population on getting sufficient exercise. It is very likely that older adults are not and have not been moving around enough for multiple weeks as stay at home and shelter in place orders have been in effect.
Aerobic Exercise
To meet the recommendations for aerobic exercise you should try to be active daily and perform some type of aerobic activity for at least 10 minutes at a time. Each week you should aim for
- 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity
OR
- 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity.
The general rule is that 1 minute of vigorous activity is equal to 2 minutes of moderate intensity activity. So a combination of moderate and vigorous activity can also be used to satisfy the recommended guideline of 150 minutes each week.
Some examples of moderate intensity aerobic activity that can be done during the current COVID-19 crisis include:
- Walking
- Riding a bike on a level surface
- Gardening
Vigorous intensity activities include:
- Running or jogging
- Riding a bike quickly, or on hills
- Hiking uphill
Strengthening
Muscle strength is important for all daily movement, and in older adults it can help to maintain strong bones, as well as reduce the risk of falling. The recommendation for strengthening is to work each major muscle group twice a week.
Examples of strengthening activities include:
- Carrying heavy loads
- Lifting weights
- Exercises using your own body weight like push-ups, sit ups, or squats
For each exercise you should try to perform:
- At least one set, and up to 2-3 sets
- 8 to 12 repetitions in each set
- Your resistance should be heavy enough that the last repetition is hard to complete.
These guidelines are general recommendations and do not consider previous injuries, medical conditions, or any other limitations that individuals may have. Your physical therapist is an expert in exercise and physical activity who can help design a program to maintain or improve your health while considering your personal past medical history, limitations, and goals. Your physical therapist can also teach you safe exercise technique, and help you safely progress your program as you get fitter to continue making improvements in your overall health.
For further information about these general guidelines or how to adapt them to your specific situation, please contact your individual practitioner. Wishing you good health during this challenging time!