Health – Age – is it just a number?

Humans really are an unusual, diverse and incredible species.

I have long been fascinated by this kaleidoscope of individuality – we often see those who act, look and behave as though they are 50 years old, or even younger, when they are in fact 70! And on the other end of the spectrum we meet those for whom the exact opposite can be said. What is included in the ‘natural process’ of aging and are there any myths that could be broken?

Amongst the senior clientele at our physiotherapy practice, some of the more serious injuries are caused by the dreaded fall. Many years ago it dawned on me that even the way we describe this phenomenon seems to involve an arbitrary turning point as we get older – when do we go from “falling over” to “having a fall”? As a child running around a playground, we fall over. As a teenager playing sport, we trip and fall. Yet as an adult of a certain age we ‘have a fall’. Falling over is defined as “to lose one’s balance and collapse” and yet this should surely apply at any age or stage?

Falling over is a failure of any number of factors, including eyesight, poor muscular strength, poor balance receptors in our legs, disease, illness and the list goes on. However, many of these factors can be influenced, changed or improved. The classic line ‘if you don’t use it you lose it’, applies here.

Strength and balance can both be improved at any stage of our lives, even if it takes a little more time, care and patience as we get older. There are numerous published studies showing that Tai Chi is one way to reduce the incidence of falls in elderly adults.

Beyond simply reducing falls or physical injury, exercise is shown to reduce the risk of a vast number of health conditions. Cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and even neurological conditions such as dementia and Alzheimers are less prevalent in those who exercise frequently.

Many of our wonderful facilities on the Hibiscus Coast have programmes dedicated to people in their twilight years. These include a weekly exercise class at Ōrewa Community Hall, Stanmore Bay Leisure’s Senior Fitness classes, or ‘Forever Young’ strength training and Tai Chi with Lis Macleod at various locations on the Coast.

As mentioned in a previous column, health is all about efficiency. The best way to improve efficiency is through exercise so get out there and try something new!