AGING WELL WITH EXERCISE

‘’Aging is an inevitable process. I surely wouldn't want to grow younger.

The older you become, the more you know; your bank account of
knowledge is much richer. ‘’
William Holden

INTRODUCTION
Who wants to grow old? Comedian George Burns, who lived past one hundred, quipped, "It's
better than the alternative." But is it?
The WHO has in the last five years pegged the cut-off for elderly at 65+ years, and older
people, as 55+years. The Nigeria government in line with her ‘’not too young to run’’ policy
reduced the classification of youth age from existing grading of 18 - 35 years to 15 – 29 years ( punch
newspaper of 28th of May, 2019). Anyone with age beyond 29years is therefore considered
Older.

 Between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the world's population over 60 years will
nearly double from 12% to 22%.
 By 2020, the number of people aged 60 years and older will outnumber children younger
than 5 years.

 By 2050, 80% of older people will be living in low- income countries and middle-income
countries.
Irrespective of the measure an individual take, as long as he/she desire to live long, aging is
unavoidable. And as we advance in age
-our live becomes more sedentary
-our levels of physical fitness declines.
With many of us already marking and celebrating our 50th anniversary, and, as we gradually
approach these golden ages of older elderly people, it is very necessary to begin to discuss how
we manage our health.

DEFINING AGING
Hippocrates- aging process resulted from the gradual and progressive loss of heat from the
body, which became colder and drier, and so resembled the properties of earth.
At the biological level- aging results from the impact of the accumulation of a wide variety of
molecular and cellular damage over time.
Medawar, 1952- defined aging as the collection of changes that render human beings
progressively more likely to die.
Medically: The process of becoming older, a process that is genetically determined and
environmentally modulated.
Other Definition: Aging is the process of becoming older, and, it represents the accumulation of
changes in a human being over time, encompassing physical, psychological, and social changes.
The definition above, coined from Wikipedia is probably the best for this paper, as it take into
consideration the three main components of health (physical, mental, and social well-being) as
defined by WHO.
The definition also link us indirectly with the second important variable of the paper -
EXERCISE.
(The World Health Organization officially define HEALTH as a state of complete physical,
mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity).
Courtesy WHO (2018)

Aging is described;
 Chronologically: based solely on the passage of time. It is a person’s age in years.
Chronologic age helps predict many health problems, and therefore has some legal and
financial uses.
 Biologically: refers to the bodily changes that commonly occur as people age. Because
these changes affect some people sooner than others, some people are biologically old at
65, and others not until a decade or more later. However, most noticeable differences in
apparent age among people of similar chronologic age are caused by lifestyle, habit, and
subtle effects of disease rather than by differences in actual aging.
 Psychologically: based on people’s actions and feelings. For example, an 80-year-old
who works, plans, looks forward to future events, and participates in many activities is
considered psychologically young.
The Aging Process
The changes a human being experiences throughout his life are recounted in the scriptures:
 Qur’an: ‘’It is Allah Who created you in a state of (helpless) weakness, then gave (you)
strength after weakness, then, after strength, gave (you) weakness and a hoary head: He
creates as He wills, and it is He Who has all knowledge and power. ‘’ (Qur’an, 30:54)
  Bible: ‘’The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the
splendor of the old.’’ (Proverbs 20:29)
The aging process happens at all stages of an individual’s life span.
When we are young, aging is associated with growth, maturation, and discovery.
Many human abilities peak before age 30, while other abilities continue to grow throughout a
person’s life.
A good number of people over age 65 today are healthy, happy, and fully independent, while,
some individuals may begin to experience changes that are perceived as signs of deterioration or
decline, even at this age.
The changes aging individuals experience are not necessarily harmful.
So with advancement in age:
 Hair thins and turns gray.
 Skin thins, becomes less elastic, and sags.
 There is a slowing down of functions which goes forward throughout adulthood, such as
decreasing function of bodily organs (e.g., in the gastrointestinal system production of
digestive enzymes can diminish, reducing the body’s ability to break down and absorb
nutrition from food).
However, other losses may not be noticeable until later in life.

Scientists theorize that how you age likely results from a combination of many factors: genes,
lifestyle, and disease.
Normal aging may bring about the changes listed below:
Bladder: Increased frequency in urination is common with age as the bladder muscles relax
without warning due to infection, irritation, damage to nerves, and other causes. Women are
more likely than men to be incontinent. They may have you start Pelvic muscle/Kegel exercises
or lifestyle changes such as weight loss, stopping smoking, less alcohol and caffeine, etc.
Bones, joints, and muscles: Somewhere around age 35, bones begin to lose minerals faster than
they are being replaced. Bones shrink in size and density as you age, which makes them weaker
and susceptible to fractures. Muscles lose strength and flexibility. You may become less
coordinated and may even become shorter.
Cardiovascular system: As an individual ages, the heart rate may slow and blood vessels and
arteries may become stiffer, causing the heart to work harder. This can lead to high blood
pressure (hypertension) and other heart problems.
Eyesight: Loss of peripheral vision and decreased ability to judge depth may affect daily
activities such as reading, watching television, and especially driving. There may be a decreased
clarity of color perception.
Hearing: Loss of hearing acuity, especially sounds at the higher end of the spectrum (high-
pitched voices, i.e. women and children) is extremely common, and, decreasing ability to
distinguish sounds when there is background noise is also common.
Lungs: Somewhere around age 20, lung tissue begins to lose its elasticity and rib cage muscles
shrink progressively. Maximum breathing capacity diminishes with each decade of life. This
may manifest as shortness of breath, lung infections, low oxygen levels (which reduces the
body’s ability to fight diseases), and abnormal breathing patterns such as sleep apnea.
Memory: As age increases, the brain loses some of the structures connecting nerve cells, and the
function of the cells themselves diminish, increasing “senior moments.” 
Memory may become less efficient with age.
Metabolism: The bodily functions become slow, food, medicine, and drinks are not processed
as quickly.
Skin: The skin may become thinner and more elastic or fragile with age. One may bruise easily
with the skin becoming drier. Cuts and bruises will take longer to heal.
Sexuality: Sexual needs, patterns, and performance may change. Illness or medication may
affect ability to perform or enjoy sex. 
Smell and Taste: The senses of smell and taste work together, so it follows that a decrease in
one ability can lead to a decrease in the other. The number of taste buds decreases with age, plus
the remaining taste buds losing mass (atrophying). Mouth dryness becomes more often — mouth
produces less saliva with age — which can affect taste. Avoid smoking and exposure to harmful
particles in the air, which can accelerate loss of taste and smell.
Teeth: The gums may pull back (recede) from teeth with age. Certain medication can also cause
dry mouth, leaving the teeth and gums vulnerable to decay and infection.

‘’ Everyone will be old. We must grow old gracefully whoever we are.’’  

Kazeronnie Mak

PATHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF AGING

Life is full of Ups and Downs, a popular Yoruba saying;
‘’O o pe laiye, Oju E o ni ribi, okan lo O fowo mu’’
‘’One who desire long life, must be ready for the consequences’’
 And, as a consequence of human aging, practically any system, tissue or organ can fail.
 This failure may affect the person wholly or partially, leading to a shutdown of all/some
body system ,eventually, resulting in death.

A Studies of Supercentenarians (over 110 years of age) suggest that they age uniformly because:
  They do not have one failing organ or system that results in death.
 They are nonetheless extremely frail and debilitated, showing multiple pathologies.

A study of centenarians revealed that all, even those described as healthy before death, had an
acute organic failure causing death.

These results suggest that the idea that people can die of "old age" may be incorrect.

Incidence of a number of pathologies increases with age e.g.diabetes, heart disease, cancer,
arthritis and kidney disease,
While,
Incidence of some pathologies, like sinusitis, remains relatively constant with age, while that of
others, like asthma, even decline.

With 66-80% of all deaths from chronic diseases occur in developing countries at any given
time, physical inactivity & its associated chronic diseases has been fingered as a factor resulting
in death, and it is on the increase in Africa.

Studies have suggested that the best and most cost effective way to prevent and combat these
consequences of aging is like a fountain of youth, millions have discovered this secret to feeling
better and living longer, it is called-

‘’staying active’’
How best can one stay active if not by participation in Exercises!
Alternative to staying active is sedentary living /insufficient physical activity, which is :

 Identified as one of the leading causes of chronic diseases.

 Also 4th leading cause of death globally.

EXERCISE
 Physical activity = any bodily movement produced by contraction of skeletal muscles
and substantially increases energy expenditure. This include a number of behaviors such
as exercise, sports, and all activities carried out as part of daily living, occupation, leisure
and active transportation.

 Exercise = a subset of physical activity that is planned, structured and engaged in with a
final or intermediate objective of improving/maintaining one or more components of
physical fitness.
BENEFITS OF EXERCISE

 improved breathing
 better endurance
 improved balance
 greater strength
 stronger bones
 improved sense of well-being
 clearer thinking
 better sleep
 ↑ve self-confident
 Give one the physical energy to work more productively.
 Perk up the mood and help reduce depression.
  favorable effects on fats in the blood
 better handling of blood sugar
 Improve active life expectancy.
 maintenance of independence
TYPE OF EXERCISE FOR AGED
 Endurance activities - like walking, swimming, or cycling which build "staying power"
and improve the health of the heart and circulatory system.
 Stretching exercises -to keep the body limber and flexible.
 Resistance training- Isotonic exs using weight machines or free weights is recommended
as a means of building muscle mass and counteracting sarcopenia.
 Balance training -to reduce the dangers of fall.

HOW BODY RESPOND TO EXS

 Increased blood flow to muscles
 Increased heart rate
 Increased arterial pressure
 Increased oxygen demand and consumption
 Increased rate and depth of respirations
 Decreased insulin secretion and increased glucagon secretion
 Increased synovial fluid secretion

PREPARATION FOR EXERCISES

Choose what you like – Not everyone likes to go to the gym, hike or to swim. Doing something
that you don’t enjoy is just going to make you miserable. And, exercise’s aim should be
improving both your physical and mental health. So choose something you like. It could be
gardening, Yoga, running, or playing a sport.

Check with your doctor – Now when you have settled on the type of exercise, make sure to
check it with your doctor. It is very important if you have a heart condition, chest pains, joint
issues, dizziness or any other health issue.

Get proper shoes – Without proper accessories, you may be putting yourself at the risk of
injuries. Get proper shoes that support your feet, reducing the risk of falling. Get shoes with
shock absorbers to reduce the impact of work out on your joints.

Stretch – Make sure to stretch before and after exercising to loosen the joints as well as to avoid
injuries.
TIPS FOR SAVE & INJURY-FREE EXERCISES IN ELDERLIES:

1. Be aware of your body- Think about how the particular exercise is making you feel. If
something doesn’t feel right, stop immediately and seek medical advice.
2. Warm up and cool down- Try slow stretches and go through the motions of your sport
or activity before starting. Cool down with slow stretching.
3. Pace yourself- Have at least one recovery day each week to rest. If you are experiencing
pain, rest until the pain has gone.
4. Mix it up- Try other sports and exercises to reduce the risk of overtraining.
5. Strap or tape- If a joint is prone to injury, consider strapping or taping it before
exercising. Even better, see an exercise physiologist or physiotherapist to obtain a program to
strengthen the injured area and get advice on proper taping techniques.
6. Stay hydrated- You can lose around one and a half litres of fluid for every hour of
exercise; so drink water before, during and after a session.
7. Be weather aware- Take it easier in hot weather and wear clothing and sunscreen to
protect yourself from the elements.
8. Do it right- Try to get the technique right from the beginning, to ensure you are using
your muscles correctly.
9. Check your gear- Make sure your shoes and equipment fit properly and are right for the
activity. Look after your equipment and check it regularly for safety.
10. Be sensible- especially at night or in secluded areas. Take a friend or your dog, stick to
well-lit areas and wear bright or light-reflective clothing so drivers can see you.

SPECIFIC EXERCISES FOR AGED

Wall push-ups.

Chair squats.
Biceps curl.

Shoulder shrugs.

Stepping
Upper limb Stretching

Class programme for aged

 FACTS
 Many of the changes in our musculoskeletal system result more from disuse than
from simple aging.
 The human brain gradually loses tissue from the third decade of life onward, with
concomitant declines in cognitive performance.
 The genetic limits that aging placed on our bodies force us to find less strenuous
activities.
 Most middle-aged or older men are content to do very little with their free time.
 This does not mean there’s no hope for our physical health as we grow older.
 Eating less, but a high-quality diet, will improve the health, delay aging, and
increase the people’s chance of living a long, healthy and happy life.
 Analgesia consumption during resistance training promotes additional muscle
building and strength gains in the elderly.
 Aerobic fitness reduces brain tissue loss in aging humans.
 Exercise - specifically, resistance training - actually rejuvenates muscle tissue in
healthy senior citizens.

Exercise doesn't just make you feel younger—it may actually turn off the aging process in
your chromosomes, and, even if it won't guarantee you a long life, it can greatly improve your
odds.