Shift Your Life Into a Positive Direction With Weightlifting
As older individuals, we have the tendency to look at workout routines and fitness as something reserved for the younger generations. “If I tried that, I’d fall over and hurt myself,” you may hear your friends say when you mention wanting to get back in the gym. Although we may have certain limitations that prevent us from tackling the weight room with the same intensity that we used to express when we were younger, age doesn’t define us! You can start lifting at any age.
Bone Density
One of the leading causes of pain in elderly patients, and the situation that makes us visit specific pain management clinics, is that of bone density. As we begin to mature in age, our bones tend to become frigid and frail — easy to break. In fact, new scientific data reveals that elderly individuals lose bone density at a rapid rate — specifically in women after their menopausal years.
This problem arises on account of mineral loss that inevitably occurs as a person becomes older. The soft padding between the vertebrae in the spine deteriorate and causes the spine to twist and contort, creating excruciating pain. The fluidity of our joints also takes a hit when the area begins to dry up and cause the bones to rub against one another. If you’ve experienced knee, hip or shoulder pain as you move through certain movements, you know what we’re referring to.
Muscle Loss
Remember back to your teenage years when you would flex your muscle to impress your friends or a sweetheart? In those years, muscles seemed to sprout with little effort and burning fat was easy. As we’ve gotten older, not so much. The reason we lose muscle can be attributed to something the medical community refers to as sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is a natural process in which the host loses muscle mass at a rate of 3% to 5% over the course of ten years. The deterioration generally begins to showcase itself after the age of 30 and can cause patients to lose control of their body, create aches and pains, limit their stamina and impact their life in negative ways. When we enter this period, many of us reach out for physical therapy as a means of combating against the hands of time.
Lifting at Any Age can Help you Gain Control
With all of these symptoms presented in front of us, it may seem as though our life will inevitably get worse as we become older — not so! In fact, many elderly people are able to maintain their youth and live life on their terms through a disciplined approach in the gym.
We know that older readers may find themselves apprehensive about going to the gym and lifting weights, but there’s good news. If you can commit to a regular weight lifting routine, you will improve your body, mind and spirit in ways that you never thought possible.
The biggest benefit that regularly lifting weights gives mature individuals is the sense of independence as they move about their day. Ask yourself this: Do you know friends or family members that rely on outside assistance just to go about their routine? When we begin resistance training, we improve our balance and skeletal control in a way that allows us to move freely. No longer will we ask for help moving from one room to another!
If you or someone you love needs 1 on 1 physical therapy in the Asheville NC area, reach out to us today! We would love to see you dramatically change your lifestyle through the means of physical therapy, discipline and old fashioned determination.
