The importance of movement.
Better health & fitness, feeling good, looking great, having ‘you time’…. Whatever your motivation is for exercising, science agrees that it is good for our minds and essential for our bodies. If you are still not convinced and need an additional reason to exercise, the amazing study below may be your deciding factor.
Aging is commonly associated with a loss of muscle mass and strength, resulting in falls, a decline in our physical function, and a feeling of weakness in our bodies. Advances in medical technology, enhanced nutrition and better overall public health has led to a big rise in the average lifespan over the past century. At the same time, our lifestyles have changed from an active culture to more sedentary jobs and recreations. Rather than taking part in physical activities, many of us now prefer to watch sport or other shows on Netflix. Living longer does not necessarily mean living well. It is essential for our future physical health that we all re-learn the importance and the power of exercise.
Exercise improves quality of life by decreasing body fat, obesity, increasing muscle strength, improving balance, gait and mobility, decreasing the likelihood of falling, improving mental health, reducing arthritis pain and reducing the risk of developing coronary heart disease, hypertension, osteoporosis, cancer and diabetes… The list goes on…
It is commonly believed that with aging comes an inevitable decline from vitality to frailty. This includes feeling weak and in many cases the loss of independence. However, these declines may have more to do with the lifestyle choices we make, including sedentary living and nutrition, rather than the previously preconceived, inevitable degrading of our bodies as a result of aging. The study below proves that we can preserve both muscle mass and strength with life-long physical activity. All we need to do is keep moving:)
In these axial MRI views of the thigh (imagine cutting the thigh in half and looking at the cross-section) the first image shows a typical view of a healthy 40 years old triathlete. The second view show the increased degree of adipose (fat) tissue and the muscle atrophy in a sedentary older man as compared to that of a triathlete of similar age (image 3). Very convincing evidence of why we should maintain a regular exercise program throughout our lifespan. In short… Use It or Loose It!
By Beniamin Kasprzyk – Chartered Physiotherapist
If you would like advice on how to get back into exericse or need help with a current injury, please contact our Physiotherapy Team by clicking Here, or call 633060.