Older adults can benefit from regular physical activity. A recent article from the American Geriatrics Society reported that physical activity is an effective preventive strategy that helps individuals remain independent into their ninth and tenth decades of life. James O. Judge, M.D., stated that inactive older persons have a much higher risk of functional dependence than physically active or fit older persons.

Although this group of individuals have become more active in the past decade, almost half of the senior population do not engage in regular physical activity. According to the Surgeon General, by age 75 about one in three men and one in two women engage in no physical activity at all. However, physical inactivity is recognized as a risk factor for many diseases prevalent in the older population, including heart disease, obesity, knee osteoarthritis, and diabetes.

Middle-aged and older men of normal weight who exercise at least once a week reduce the risk of developing diabetes mellitus by about 40%, and overweight men reduce the risk by 60%. Those who walk or lift weights three times weekly are half as likely to suffer disabling pain from knee osteoarthritis than inactive adults.

Exercise has also been shown to improve sleep patterns in older adults. A study conducted by the Stanford Center for Research and the Emory University Sleep Disorders program in Atlanta found that older people who exercise moderately on a regular basis take less time to get to sleep at night, and generally sleep more fully than sedentary senior adults.

Dr. Judge recommends an exercise program which includes strength and power training, endurance activities, flexibility and balance. However, even physical activities that are not considered "exercise" by exercise physiologists reduce future disability and mortality. Among adults aged 65 years and older, walking, gardening, and yard work are the most popular physical activities.

Previously inactive adults beginning physical activity programs should start with short intervals of moderate activity (5-10 minutes) and gradually build up to the desired amount. Risk of injury increases at high levels of physical activity, so care should be taken not to engage in excessive amounts of activity.

It's important that senior adults be evaluated by a physician prior to any new physical activity program. Your doctor can help you decide on an exercise program that is suitable for your age, health, and capabilities.

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