Saturday, 26th October 2024

Frailty – what to do next?

Most of what I write is aimed at telling people why they need to be more active – helping (nagging?) people to realise the importance of physical activity for a long and active life. Regular exercise prevents and treats the host of debilitating conditions which are so common among older people. Exercise increases lifespan, but more importantly it increases healthspan. The benefits are more than just to the well-being of the individual – they impact the social and financial well-being of society as a whole.

However I seldom tell people what exercise they should take. This is mainly because it does not matter what exercise you take – all activity is beneficial. The important fact about exercise is that you do it – and then carry on doing it. Make it part of your way of life. Be less sedentary.

Which exercise?

Older people may believe that most organised physical activity is aimed at the younger generation  and that there are not enough exercise facilities for their age group. That just isn’t true – there are myriad clubs, organisations and venues and it is the very variety which should help the would-be exerciser to hit on an ideal activity for them.

In Alton we have a very comprehensive directory of all the local exercise clubs, organisations and venues within our postcode area. If your live around here, go to the website:

https://altonevents.co.uk/active-alton/

There you will find a full listing of sports and other physical activities – from Archery to Zumba, from Bowls to Wellbeing Walks, from Dance Classes to Kickboxing. Something for everyone.

For those who prefer their information in printed form there is a booklet with the full listing of the exercise facilities/clubs/venues available at the Alton Library, Community Centre, Maltings, Community Hospital and all the local doctors’ surgeries.

Some possibilities

Here is a list of activities which can be used to fulfil the recommendations of the DoH (see below):

Housework

Gardening

Walking

Cycling

Swimming

Dancing

Tennis

Going to the gym

Golf

Indoor Bike

Home Exercise Circuit

You don’t need to stick to just one activity to make up the full exercise dose for the week – a mixture is both more interesting and provides more widespread muscle conditioning.

Gym activities

Here are a few of the things you can get up to at your local gym – or adapt for your own us at home or even join a zoom class:

  • Cardiovascular – this includes mainly aerobic exercise such as using a static bike or rowing machine, walking or running on a treadmill, skipping, aerobic dance and any other exercise designed to raise the heart rate and make you thoroughly short of breath.
  • Bums and tums – aimed mainly at young to middle-aged women concerned about their body image, this consists of a mixture of aerobic and isometric exercise concentrating on the abdomen, buttocks and thighs. Crunches, squats and jogging may be included.
  • Pilates – an exercise system involving a mixture of mental concentration, economy of movement, building up core strength and breathing control. This may use free-standing exercise or weights and pulleys.
  • Body-balance – uses a mixture of yoga, t’ai chi and Pilates to improve core strength, relax the mind and enhance flexibility.
  • Spinning – group cycling under the direction of an instructor who changes the load and speed through the session; mainly aerobic.
  • Aquarobics – exercise in the swimming pool that uses the resistance of the water to exercise different muscle groups and may be particularly suitable for those with lower-limb problems, who can be helped by the support provided by the flotation environment and who would be unable to exercise without support.
  • Calisthenics – a variety of body movements, often rhythmical, generally without using equipment or apparatus, thus in essence bodyweight training. The exercises are intended to increase body strength, body fitness and flexibility through movements such as pulling or pushing oneself up, bending, jumping or swinging, using only one’s body weight for resistance.
  • Zumba – a form of aerobic dance with varying rhythms and intensity which can be adapted to all age groups.
  • Boxercise – an exercise based on the training concepts that boxers use to keep fit. Classes can take a variety of formats but a typical one may involve shadow-boxing, skipping, hitting pads, kicking punchbags, press-ups, shuttle-runs and sit-ups.

The possible combinations of exercise are infinite and the effects of one form compared with another depend on the balance of aerobic, isometric and flexibility exercises. They are all good, so if you want to use the gym and don’t find it too boring, just choose that or those which you will enjoy. There is no greater disincentive to sticking with a programme than not wanting to be there! And there is no evidence that one sort of exercise class is any better or worse than any other – whatever individual adherents may say.

If you wish to make up your own circuit, I suggest that you alternate the stations between ‘cardiovascular’ and ‘MSE – muscular strength and endurance’. You don’t need to go to a gym to do this – you can do it at home with the help of your staircase or an aerobic step, a pair of dumbbells or ‘TheraBands’ – thick elastic bands for straining against.

 

How much exercise?

More about this next time

 

 

2 responses to “Frailty – what to do next?”

  1. Sue Poulter says:

    I also find there are lots of good exercise videos on YouTube. I do one of these most days and an extra one on the days I am not dancing and don’t want to go walking in the rain.

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