The Myth of Moving Daily

A recent comment by a client sparked an interesting conversation. They felt that the activities they did daily, like cleaning, walking the stairs, taking the trash out, was enough to keep them “strong and healthy” as they aged. But this is simply not true. These actions are considered to be physical activity. In the Physical Therapy world we call them ADLS, activities of daily living. The everyday things you need to do to live well. You may move around throughout the day lifting items, walking outside, getting in and out of your car, playing with your dog. They are all very important and require ample mobility to do them. But those ADLS are not exercise and exercise is what keeps you strong

Exercise is a structured and planned activity. The focus is to produce measurable results. Like improving your cardiovascular fitness, strength, balance, or flexibility. There are physiological adaptations that occur in the body. Like heart rate changes, muscle strength improvements, joint range of motion increases, pain reduction, or bone density improvement. These are things that can be tested and shown through research to change with targeted exercise.

Let’s take a moment to talk about muscle loss. Muscle loss due to age starts around age 30. After age 50 that loss starts to speed up and by age 60 you are losing about 1–2% of muscle mass a year. This happens even if you consider yourself active on a daily basis. Even worse, if you are inactive you could lose up to 3% a year after age 60. This can also be compounded by diseases, injuries, or diet changes. With the loss of muscle mass comes weakness. A quick Google search will show you the risk involved with muscle loss and age. Frailty, increased fall risk, and loss of independence are typically the top results you’ll find. All for good reason, the research shows this all to be true.

When you think about your daily activities and consider the age related muscle loss that is just happening with time there is a disconnect. Daily activities will not keep your muscle loss at bay. With muscle loss comes the risk of decline in strength, balance, and cardiovascular fitness. There is a way to combat it. You need to do more than just your daily activities to keep the ability to do your daily activities. Exercise needs to be added in. Consistently and with a structured plan. The most effective program is 2-3x a week. Lifting weights and adding motions that challenge your body to a level of fatigue is necessary to build and maintain muscle mass. If you have not exercised in the past, it is important to work with a professional who understands your age, the changes occurring in your body, and any medical issues you may have. Exercise for older adults is definitely not a one size fits all program!

AgingWell Physio has the knowledge and experience to get you started on an exercise program the right way. We start with a phone consultation to understand your current level of fitness, any medical concerns you may have, and your goals. At your first visit we build and create your program to fit your needs. We safely progress the program over time to make sure you are meeting those goals. Remember, consistency is key! Call today to get started on your fitness journey!