How to Protect Your Mobility in Old Age

It's easy to become less active as you age. But the adage "Use it or lose it!" is true. You'll feel better the more you move. Here's what you should know.

Especially in their last decades, Americans become less active. One study using wrist sensors found that older adults cut back on their daily activity from 16 to 20 percent a year.

It may seem appropriate to stay put in your chair. But, in a culture with a tendency to sit most of the day, you need to resist that pull. The more active you are, the better your chances of staying mobile and independent.

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Americans need more exercise

At any age, most people can benefit from more physical challenges. Less than half of Americans get enough aerobic exercise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Only a quarter of them also do enough muscle-building exercises. The problem gets worse as the years accumulate and the consequences of inactivity increase. Only 10 percent of Americans ages 75 and up get enough exercise.

Age brings new challenges, such as serious illness, arthritis, slower recoveries from injury, sleep interruptions, and pain. As they say, “Old age isn’t for sissies!” That said, your best defense is to keep moving and push yourself a little.

Look for a class

You may be afraid of falling, with good reason. One in four older adults falls every year.

If it’s possible, participate in a class for older people who need to build confidence in walking. Practicing walking skills in a standing position can give you stamina, according to a study testing the effects of 50-minute exercise classes on seniors.

With an average age of 80, most of the participants had at least one chronic condition. A third had a history of falls and were afraid of falling.

But that didn’t stop them. Half of the volunteers participated in a seated exercise program, the other half in a standing program designed to enhance the skills needed for walking. It included a warm-up, stepping patterns, walking patterns, strengthening, and a cool-down period.

Standing up paid off. After 12 weeks of twice-weekly classes, participants in the standing program could walk faster and further in six minutes. The seated program didn’t offer as much of a benefit, but it was still better than nothing.

Start early for a better old age  

Before you lose mobility — in your older years, aim to meet the CDCs exercise recommendations. Adults aged 65 and older need:

• At least 150 minutes a week (for example, 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week) of moderate-intensity activity, such as brisk walking. Or they need 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity activity, such as hiking, jogging, or running.
• At least 2 days a week of activities that strengthen muscles.
• Activities to improve balance, such as standing on one foot.

Tips to keep going

If you have chronic conditions or a new injury that is limiting you, it’s best to do as much as you possibly can and talk to your doctors about how you can safely build up.

Older people can benefit from a variety of activities. You can avoid boredom — or meet new people, in a class or sport — and reduce your risk of overusing certain muscles.

Even if it’s hard to climb stairs or walk, look for other activities, including stretches at a desk, table, or wall.

Many activities count, even climbing stairs, vacuuming, or carrying groceries. It all adds up.

Many people stop a program because of illness, injury, travel, or other changes in routine. When you start again, accept that you may be less fit and slowly build up.

If the weather keeps you indoors, try exercising in a gym, walking in a mall, or following an online fitness program at home.

Don’t count on exercise to make you lose weight. Most people also need to eat less or eat more healthily.

Protect your joints. “Never forget that stiffness begets stiffness. Keeping your joints mobile is key to reducing stiffness and pain,” said Londoner Sarah Jarvis, MD. “That can be easier said than done if every movement hurts. Low-impact bending and stretching — including cycling (for knees) at home — keep discomfort to a minimum but prevent seizing up.”

Make sure you start slowly, and do only exercises you’re comfortable with. If you feel pain, you should stop. Push yourself only to the point of slight fatigue or discomfort.

Controlling your weight, learning correct body posture, and finding exercises, perhaps from a physical therapist, to manage specific vulnerabilities will help you keep going.

Improve your balance

Balance becomes increasingly important over time. When Scott McCredie saw his healthy and active 67-year-old father suddenly fall from a cliff, he wondered what had brought on his father’s loss of balance. The result was a book exploring this essential ability we tend to ignore until we lose it.

For a measure of how your balance compares to norms in your age group, try this test.

Practice balancing while you’re young. Stand on one foot while you brush your teeth. Make a daily practice of standing in the stork position, a yoga exercise, adapting as needed. It’s no crime to put your hand against a wall. Try to advance to a fingertip against the wall if you do.

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