ed-meister/flickr.com

Anne Stein, M.S.
Sports & Fitness Journalist/Author

Frequent exercise is one of the most useful remedies for managing arthritis, but for those in considerable or even moderate pain, the idea of starting a fitness program is daunting. That’s why a recent study involving knee osteoarthritis (OA) sufferers and Tai Chi, a traditional Chinese martial art of slow, rhythmic movements designed to induce mental relaxation and enhance balance, strength and flexibility, is so intriguing.

According to the study, published in the November 2009 issue of Arthritis Care & Research, Tai Chi is especially effective in reducing knee OA in the elderly.

Nearly 4.3 million U.S. adults over age 60 have been diagnosed with knee OA, and the Centers for Disease Control predict that half of U.S. adults may develop symptoms of OA in at least one knee by age 85. Overall, nearly 46 million Americans, or one in six people, suffer from arthritis. The most common form is osteoarthritis, in which the cartilage that covers the ends of bones in the joint deteriorates, causing pain and loss of joint movement as bone rubs against bone.

Tufts University School of Medicine researchers, who conducted the Tai Chi study, found that patients over 65 with knee OA who engage in regular Tai Chi improve physical function and experience less pain. In general, exercise reduces joint pain and stiffness for arthritis sufferers, builds stronger muscles around the joints and increases flexibility and endurance.

In this study, 20 participants with knee OA took one-hour Tai Chi sessions twice a week for three months. A control group attended one hour classes on diet, nutrition and other treatments for OA, and stretched for 20 minutes. At the end of the study, the group practicing Tai Chi reported a significant decrease in knee pain compared to the other group.

“Tai Chi is a mind-body approach that appears to be an applicable treatment for older adults with knee OA,” said researchers. In fact, the Arthritis Foundation has a “Tai Chi for Arthritis” program, which certifies instructors. “This type of training is the perfect exercise format for people with sensitive joints,” says one instructor. “All of the movements are performed as if you were moving through water, creating a sensation of light resistance for each movement.” The slow movements allow participants to easily stop when they encounter pain.

While fluid in nature, the exercises are also weight bearing, which helps maintain muscle strength, which in turn supports the joints and helps to keep bones strong. By moving the joints through a gentle range of motion, synovial fluid lubricates the joints, maintaining or even increasing flexibility.

The study’s researchers also believe that the meditative aspect of Tai Chi, which requires being present in the moment while performing these slow movements, combats chronic pain by “promoting psychological wellbeing, life satisfaction and perceptions of health.”

The Arthritis Foundation offers the following guidelines for those interested in Tai Chi:

• Make sure that you work at your own level
• You can perform tai chi movements while standing or sitting
• Wear comfortable clothing, good footwear, and come with patience and an open and relaxed mind

For more information on the Arthritis Foundation’s Tai Chi program, go to: http://www.arthritis.org/tai-chi.php

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In Women, Training for a Sharper Mind

The New York Times reports on a recent study showing that older women may benefit from strength training

Roni Caryn Rabin – The New York Times

This article was selected by Moji because of its relevant content. We have crafted an overview, but please link directly to the original site to read the entire article.

Moji Overview:

Roni Caryn Rabin reports for The New York Times on a new study that was featured in the January 25th issue of Achives os Internal Medicine.  The British Columbian study recruited 155 women ages 65 to 75 years to analyze what cognitive functions may or may not improve with different forms of exercise.  The study suggests that older women who do regular strength training (in lieu of balance and toning) may see marked improvements in their ability to makes decisions, resolve conflicts, and focus without distractions.  This new documentation of the added benefits of strength training will, hopefully, encourage older women to participate in this activity with greater frequency.

By Roni Caryn Rabin

Published: January 25, 2010

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The New York Times

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Health Clubs for Newbie Boomers

Learn how to find the best gyms for older adults that want to be active.

Anne Stein, M.S.
Sports & Fitness Journalist

“Finding health clubs that cater to the needs of older adults with age-friendly facilities, equipment, programming and knowledgeable staff can be tricky.”

Study after study has shown that older adults, even those who have been sedentary, can benefit from physical exercise. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, engaging in regular exercise:

• Helps older adults maintain the ability to live independently and reduces their risk of falling and fracturing bones
• Reduces the risk of dying from coronary heart disease and of developing high blood pressure, colon cancer, and diabetes
• Can help reduce blood pressure
• Helps people with chronic, disabling conditions improve their stamina and muscle strength
• Reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression
• Helps maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints
• Helps control joint swelling and pain associated with arthritis

But finding health clubs that cater to the needs of older adults with age-friendly facilities, equipment, programming and knowledgeable staff can be tricky.

While not every older adult (ages 55 and over) is out of shape or frail – there are 75-year-old marathoners and 80-year-old Ironman triathletes – humans do lose strength and endurance as they age (though exercise can dramatically alter the rate). A percentage of seniors cannot lift more than 10 pounds, for example.

“If the equipment at a club starts at 10 pounds and works up in 10-pound increments, the facility is saying that they’re not interested and don’t understand older adults, and haven’t equipped the facility with the right tools,” says the International Council on Active Aging’s (ICAA) CEO, Colin Milner. If a club says they have programs that cater to senior fitness and all they have is chair aerobics, that leaves plenty of seniors under served.

“A lot of times an organization will say ‘we’re geared to older adults,’ but that often means adults ages 50-60 who are highly-functioning athletes,” explains Milner. In response, the ICAA has come out with a checklist for finding workout facilities that have the needs of older adults in mind.

Milner suggests walking around a facility with the ICAA checklist, starting from the outside, to see if it caters to who you are and your fitness needs.  Notice if you can read the posters and signs. “Do you need to walk up 20 steps to reach classes on the second floor?” asks Milner. “Does the club have an area where you can socialize, which is especially important for older adults? Do they have programs based on levels of function, rather than a senior program as one category?”

Other things to look for include:

Facility/operations

• Is the parking lot close to the entrance and well lit?
• Is there transportation to/from the facility?
• Is there non-slip flooring inside and elevator access?
• Do you feel comfortable inside – is there loud music?
• Are there other people like you?
• Are there handrails throughout?
• Are there stretching stations off the floor (some seniors have a hard time getting up and down from the floor)

Equipment

• Are display panels easy to read?
• Do treadmills start at slow speeds (.5 mph)?
• Does strength-training equipment have age-friendly features, such as low starting resistance, one-pound incremental increases, wide seats and benches for those with balance issues, and is equipment easy to get in/out or on and off of?

Programming

• Do classes have different levels of intensity, duration and size?
• Are there programs that meet the needs of those with osteoporosis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other conditions?
• Is there counseling by qualified staff on nutrition, pain management and behavior modification?
• Is there free orientation to familiarize you with the facilities?

Staff

• Do you like the staff? Are they caring and polite?
• Is the staff certified by a nationally recognized senior fitness organization to work with people who have various health issues that may arise with age, such as osteoporosis, hypertension, and arthritis?
• Does staff have CPR and first aid training?
• Are they knowledgeable about the possible effects of medication on exercise?
• Will staff work with your physician if you have health issues?

For the complete checklist, go to: http://www.icaa.cc/consumer/facility-checklist.pdf

Photo courtesy of lululemon athletica

Training for Masters

Top masters athletes share their secrets to staying fit in your 40s and 50s.

Anne Stein, M.S.
Sports & Fitness Journalist/Author

“It takes some adjusting for a competitive athlete. It took me 50 years to get to that point,” admits Finneran. “But I’m in it for the long haul, not the weekend glory.”

Still Blazing Trails

At age 54, high school track coach Vinny Finneran can crank out a 5:30 mile and run a 19-minute 5K. At his fastest, the nationally ranked runner, who once posted a 2:33 marathon and competed at nearly every distance around the country and in Europe, blazed through a 4:16 mile.

But age has necessitated some changes, and he’s adjusted his training to ensure he’ll be able to run and compete for decades to come.

“I still win my age group and though my goal’s to place in the top three overall, I’m happy to make the top 10,” says Finneran. “I mostly do 5ks now because they don’t take a ton of training, I get as much satisfaction from them as a good marathon, and I’m much healthier for it. If I was doing more mileage I’d probably get injured more.”

The father of three typically runs 10-12 miles weekly; does Tae Kwon Do three times/ week; swims two times/week; weight lifts 3 times/week, and does core and flexibility work. He’s cross-trained for years but now it’s especially important to lessen wear and tear on his joints, which have endured four decades of running.

Aging Gracefully

Erik Helland, 45, is the longtime head strength and conditioning coach for the Chicago Bulls and a former competitive weightlifter. He’s also adjusted his training to avoid injury while maintaining a high level of fitness. “I’ve added more cardio as I’ve gotten older,” says Helland, who’s more aware of heart health as he ages. “I enjoy lifting and being strong, but I don’t tolerate the volume of work I used to, so I’ll only lift three to four days a week instead of five or six.”

“Reaction speed, muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance and motor control all decline as you age,” explains Dr. Hirofumi Tanaka, Director of the Cardiovascular Aging Research Lab at University of Texas, Austin. At age 42, he plays soccer with college kids. “But you can slow the decline by exercising.”

The Gold Standard

Depending on the sport, some athletes decline more slowly than others. Swimmers decline less than runners, and sprint-distance swimmers decline less than longer-distance swimmers. “One reason is that swimming isn’t a weight-bearing exercise, so you can train hard with fewer injuries,” Tanaka says.One shining example is five-time Olympian Dara Torres, who at age 42 captured three silver medals in swimming at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  But even Torres, a sprinter, has adjusted her training to accommodate age.

Leading up to the ’08 Olympics, she trained once a day instead of twice, five days a week instead of seven, and cut her workouts by several thousand meters. “I’m way more aware of the decisions I make with my body,” says Torres, who wrote a book post-Olympics called “Age is Just a Number.”

“If it’s broken down and tired, I rest. When I was young, I’d work right through that.” She’s meticulous about food, vitamins and sleep, often going to bed at the same time as her three-year-old daughter.

Eat, Sleep, and Be Merry

Finneran and Helland agree that sleep and nutrition are critical to performance as we age. “If you don’t eat or sleep well your capacity to work out and be fit is really diminished,” Helland says. “Don’t think you can overcome you body.”

Finneran and Helland offer the following tips for older athletes who want to remain fit and competitive:

• The volume of work you body can tolerate decreases with age, but the quality shouldn’t. Work smarter, not harder.
• Have a goal and plan your training around it (such as losing 20 pounds, or completing a half-marathon). Then break your training into one month blocks, week-long blocks, and daily blocks. Challenge your body with that training plan or you won’t get much out of it.
• Vary your workouts to avoid injury. Run stairs one day, go for a hard bike ride the next, do intervals on grass a third day. “Repetitive stress issues become a bigger issue as you get older,” says Helland.
• Core strength training and lifting helps posture and reduces injuries.
• Warm up and cool down.
• When you’re tired, it means something. Walk instead of run or go for an easy swim – or simply take a day off. You’ll get more out of resting than forcing your body to work.
• Massage, self-massage with a foam roller and stretching are increasingly important as you age.

“A lot of it is controlling your ego, which takes some adjusting for a competitive athlete. It took me 50 years to get to that point,” admits Finneran. “But I’m in it for the long haul, not the weekend glory.”

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The Best Exercises for Healthy Bones

Gretchen Reynolds of The New York Times examines recent studies that call into question the role of exercise in bone growth and discusses the conflicting evidence that has fascinated sports medicine doctors and researchers for decades.

Gretchen Reynolds – The New York Times

This article was selected by Moji because of its relevant content.  We have crafted an overview, but please link directly to their site to read the entire article.

MOJI OVERVIEW:

Gretchen Reynolds of The New York Times examines recent studies that call into question the role of exercise in bone growth and discusses the conflicting evidence that has fascinated sports medicine doctors and researchers for decades and the fact that researchers are becoming less certain as to what exercises are good for strengthening bones.  Though Reynolds does not come to a final conclusion on exercise, she does offer an interesting new perspective from Dr. Alexander G. Robling, author of a new paper for the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.  Professor Robling’s research suggests that there are definitive exercises that will help bone growth, specifically those that require bursts of speed or force.  Through an analysis of Roblings work, as well as other recent studies, Reynolds provides a clearer picture of how and why exercise should play a role in bone health.

By Gretchen Reynolds

Published:  November 11, 2009

Read the Article

The New York Times