 Exercise can help even very elderly people to improve their strength, flexibility, and agility, new research suggests. The results of a new study, conducted by a team at the University of South Florida School of Aging, have added to the increasing body of evidence that physical activity can help older people to halt functional decline and preserve their independence.
Sixty four volunteers, with an average age of 83.5 years, participated in a three month exercise program that included walking and resistance training. The strength, flexibility, balance and agility of each participant was measured before and after the program. The study divided the volunteers into three groups; a walking group, a resistance-training group, and a control group that did not exercise. Results showed that the walking group and the training group displayed significant improvement in all areas.
In a separate case, Dr. Sharon Brangman, chief of geriatrics at the State University of New York's Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, said that exercise should be the foundation of any older person’s health improvement plans. She advocates moderate, regular exercise like walking, swimming and free weights, and a diet high in powerful antioxidants that boost cardiovascular health, such as fish, vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Brangman said that those who reach retirement age and find themselves flabby, out of shape and worried about their health should not think that it’s not worth changing their fitness habits; ‘It's never too late’.
Source: Journal of Aging and Health, published online Feb. 16, 2006. Also see our articles on weights for older adults and the physical effects of aging.
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