Senior fitness exercise

The core of fitness exercise for the elderly has never been to pursue the benchmark of exercise volume and exercise intensity, but to maintain joint mobility, muscle mass, and basic cardiopulmonary function on the premise of matching their own basic diseases and exercise abilities, with safety as the priority and comfort as the priority.

To be honest, Uncle Zhang downstairs just stepped into this trap last year. Before retiring, I worked in an office for thirty years. After retirement, I was jealous when I saw my old friend running a half-marathon and winning a community medal. I bought running shoes and sportswear on the spot. I sprinted five kilometers around the park every day before dawn, and my circle of friends ranked first in the number of steps taken every day. As a result, fluid accumulated in my knees within two months and I was hospitalized for a week. Now I have to wear thick knee braces even when I go downstairs to buy groceries. I always say to everyone, "I'm too old to move around."

This is actually true and false. There is already a lot of quarrel in the elderly fitness circle now, and both schools of thought have their own merits. One group is the radical group that "moves as hard as you can". There are many examples of people who are still pumping iron at the age of 70 and walking ten kilometers at the age of 80. The last record holder of the city's senior marathon was 72-year-old Mr. Chen. His blood lipids and cardiopulmonary function in his physical examination report are better than those of many 40-year-old office workers. It is true that exercise is the best skin care product. The other faction is the conservative group that " lies more and moves less to stay healthy", and they also have real cases to support it: Grandma Li from the neighbor's house has severe lumbar spondylolisthesis. She danced high-intensity square dancing for a week before, and she was in so much pain that she couldn't get out of bed. The doctor said that in this case, she should try to avoid even walking. The right way is to sit and move her hands and feet.

I know Dr. Wang from the Rehabilitation Department of a community hospital. He has worked in geriatric rehabilitation for almost 20 years. The pile of cases in his hands is taller than the number of people. He said that he has seen too many old people who go to extremes. They either lie motionless until their muscles atrophy, or they move blindly and exercise their joints to the point of premature failure. In essence, they forget that "their own body is the only yardstick."

A while ago, he just helped Aunt Zhao, who lives in the same community, adjust the fitness plan. Aunt Zhao has diabetes and mild osteoporosis. She twisted her foot while dancing "Subject Three" with the square dance team and rested at home for half a month without moving. No one believed the plan given by Dr. Wang: Every morning, sit on the edge of the bed and rotate your wrists and ankles for 10 minutes, expand your chest, and slowly do 5 squats without squatting. Then, use two 500ml mineral water bottles filled with water as dumbbells, lift your arms 15 times, and walk slowly for 20 minutes after dinner. When you are tired, you can sit on a bench on the side of the road to chat with old neighbors. There is no need to count the clock to make up for the time. With such a simple action, Aunt Zhao persisted for half a year. The last time she measured her fasting blood sugar, it was two points more stable than before. Before, her arms were sore when carrying a vegetable basket, but now she can carry 10 kilograms of rice up to the third floor without gasping.

There has been a debate on the Internet for a long time about whether the elderly should practice strength training. Research in the field of kinesiology says that 1%-2% of muscle mass will be lost naturally every year after the age of 60. Without strength training, it is easy to fall due to insufficient muscle support. However, orthopedic doctors have repeatedly reminded the elderly that joint degeneration is generally serious. The slightest mistake in squats and deadlifts will wear out the meniscus. Both sides are right. How can there be any unified standard at the practical level? Dr. Wang often tells the elderly people who come for consultation that there is no need to worry about whether the movements are standard or not. When you are sitting, lift your legs, stand on tiptoe a few times when cooking, and don’t always tilt your body to one side when hugging your grandson. As long as the muscles are exerting force, no matter how small the amplitude is, it is better than lying down and scrolling through your mobile phone.

The last time the community held a fitness science meeting, an old man raised his hand and asked, if I take care of my baby at home every day, hold it, put it to sleep, and chase it, does that count as fitness? Dr. Wang was delighted on the spot and said, of course. When you hold the baby, your core tightens unconsciously and your arms keep exerting force. As long as you don't hold your waist for a long time, it is free strength training for daily life. It is much more effective than spending money to go to the gym to practice blindly. The whole audience burst into laughter. If you think about it, this is really true.

In fact, there is no standard answer to fitness for the elderly. If you have good health and no underlying diseases, and love to run and jump, no one will stop you. If you have old problems, even if you sit on the sofa every day, roll your eyes and move your fingers, you will still make money. What I fear the most is following the trend. If others say I am good at walking, I will just walk 20,000 steps a day. If others say I am good at walking, I will still stand outside at minus 20 degrees, competing with my old friends for step count, and competing with the square dance team to see who can dance longer. In the end, only my body will suffer.