Keep Moving As You Age So That You Can Grow Older Gracefully!
“Life is about movement - everything that is alive moves.” (1)
What a great thing to remember! No matter your age, you have to move. As you get older, you have to move more (than you may feel like)! Life equals motion. Motion equals life. Researchers are really sharing some amazing information on this fact that will inspire us all (and our cherished family members!) to move so that we can all grow old and grow old(er) gracefully. Layden Chiropractic and our Plainville chiropractic patients will all grow old better working together, exercising, moving, and meeting at the office for gentle Cox® treatment!
BED REST AND MOBILITY
Bed rest isn’t always best! It may be less frightening than moving and be even a bit calming. Layden Chiropractic will give you that! When hospitalized, there is lots of bed rest, maybe even a bit too much for a patient’s liking! A study of patients in an acute care hospital ward uncovered information that inpatient mobility was low despite their individual capabilities and desires to get up and move around. (1) It is so important to keep acute patients - and those with new bouts of back pain and/or neck pain, too - moving to get them better! Beneficially, acutely hospitalized older patients enhanced their muscle strength and power while hospitalized following an individualized multicomponent exercise program that incorporated power training in as little as 3 days! (2) In a review of the benefits of exercise for frail older adults, researchers stressed the value of preserving functional abilities for those who want to age healthily. They further underscored the fact that exercise and physical activity are effective for the prevention of falls, hospital stays, improved cognition, etc. Exercises from power training (yes – power training for older folks!) to resistance training, balance exercises, aerobic training, walking, etc. (3) Mobility is part of keeping frailty at bay, and Layden Chiropractic encourages that!
FRAILTY AND MOBILITY
Those of us over 65 years old are said to be more prone to frailty, amplifying our risk of several adverse health issues, both cognitive and physical. The desire we all have is that frailty is reversible. Researchers have analyzed this issue by appraising published studies on this topic of frailty reversal. Fortunately, 56.7% of the papers proposed that it is reversible (returning a person who is frail/severely frail to a state of being just pre-frail or just mildly frail). (4) Those are hopeful outcomes! One study shared that frail and even “pre” frail older patients showed better physical performance and function following a brief (6 week) facility-based exercise program that involved a walking-based high intensity interval training. 64% improved their frailty rating. Specifically, muscle power improved by 47%, muscle strength rose 34%, and aerobic capacity rose 19%. (5) And other bonuses with physical activity in general: energy and a better emotional state! Frailty and aging are more apt to decrease energy levels and stated fatigue and emotional distress. Moving and physical activity has been described to fight those feelings in older women as well as extend life expectancy and reduce some negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle. (6) Layden Chiropractic thinks you’ll agree that these are positive things!
CONTACT Layden Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Tom Menendez on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he details the effective gentle protocols of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management in treating the older patient.
Schedule your Plainville chiropractic appointment today. You’re alive. What a wonderful thing, one to be thankful for by moving!
