This week Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Joshua Mixson about the many benefits of exercise and strength training specifically for older adults. Dr. Mixson is an internist and geriatrician at MUSC.
TRANSCRIPT:
Conner: I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio with Health Focus here at the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Physical activity is an essential part of healthy aging. Doctor Josh Mixson is here to provide the details and to highlight some of the best types of exercise for older adults. Doctor Mixson is an internist and geriatrician at MUSC. Doctor Mixson, give us more details about how exercise positively impacts health and wellness, particularly for older adults.
Dr. Mixson: Exercise can have a lot of benefits for older adults. It can help increase strength, flexibility, mobility, improve endurance. It lowers fall risk by improving balance. It can have positive impact on cognition, can help decrease depression symptoms, and also reduces the risk of cancer. (It) Helps control blood pressure and for patients with diabetes, helps to control blood sugar.
Conner: How much exercise is actually needed or recommended for a healthy routine?
Dr. Mixson: The recommended amount of exercise in a week is anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes, most days of the week, but I would say that any amount of exercise can be beneficial.
Conner: What types of exercise might be especially beneficial and appropriate for older adults?
Dr. Mixson: I would say the most important thing is finding an activity that you enjoy, something that you're going to consistently do things like walking, cycling, stationary, bike swimming, water aerobics are all great forms of exercise.
Conner: Tell us about the value of including strength training for older adults.
Dr. Mixson: Strength training can be particularly helpful for older adults because as we age, many people have something happen called sarcopenia, which is muscle loss. That happens with aging as a normal part of aging. Strength training can be helpful to maintain muscle mass, maintain independence and functional status, and can be very helpful to slow the progression of sarcopenia.
Conner: And what are some examples of strength training that would be appropriate?
Dr. Mixson: Anything that is activating those muscles. So, starting out with free weight, something that you feel like you can lift 8 to 10 times before getting that muscle fatigue can be helpful to build that strength.
Conner: And how many times a week might it be appropriate or recommended to do strength training in addition to some of these other things like walking?
Dr. Mixson: I think adding in some form of resistance training 1 to 2 times a week can be a helpful way to start building and maintaining muscle mass.
Conner: What can you suggest for individuals who may have chronic conditions or maybe physical limitations to consider?
Dr. Mixson: It's important to consult with your doctor prior to starting an exercise plan. It may also be helpful to consult with a physical therapist or a personal trainer to get recommendations on what form of activity may be best to start with. Those people that have arthritis, focusing on things that are less impacting stress on those joints, such as swimming, stationary bike or water aerobics can be helpful. And those with osteoporosis, focusing on things that are weight bearing activities such as walking, can be helpful to maintain bone health.
Conner: Doctor Mixson, thanks for this information about exercise in the older adult years.
Dr. Mixson: You're welcome. Thank you for having me.
Conner: From the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio.
Health Focus transcripts are intended to accurately represent the original audio version of the program; however, some discrepancies or inaccuracies may exist. The audio format serves as the official record of Health Focus programming.
