Active Aging: Get Up, Get Down!
Mitigate the physical effects of aging and continue doing the things you love— and need— to do
Losing strength, mobility, and agility are part of aging, making everyday activities more challenging.
By Karin Meessen
Having trouble meeting your grandchild or your pet on their level?
I’m talking about the ground, and how we might feel challenged by picking things up from the floor when they fall, or getting down on our knees to fish for whatever item may have rolled under the couch and then getting back up again.
Those everyday activities can present a particular concern for older people:
“Sitting [down on the floor and then rising from it are basic functional tasks] required for autonomy. The inability to perform these and similar actions are closely related to the risk of falling, and if a fall has occurred, the capacity to return to an upright position is critical”. [1]
Losing strength, mobility, and agility are part of aging. Our muscles and bones weaken and our coordination can be lacking as we age. As a result, physical chores as well as fun activities in and outside of the house can prove more difficult to execute.
Aging is marked by these three gradual processes:
Dynapenia (loss of muscle strength)
Sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass)
Decreased lean body mass (loss of muscle, bone and connective tissue)
Now, if you look at the essence of motor learning, we find that movement is self-taught. Ever observe a baby figuring out how to lift its head first, then starting to rock back and forth before beginning to crawl, over using a nearby object to pull themselves up to a stand, until finally the baby doesn't need that assist anymore.
So, once we learn that skill, we should be good for life, right?
Unfortunately, keeping our movement efficient as we age doesn’t come so naturally. It requires practice, repetition and progression in order to improve neuromuscular coordination. By practicing, repeating and progressing exercises we aid our nerves' ability to communicate with our body’s motor systems.
Studies have noted that aging reduces the nervous system’s capacity for communicating with connective tissue and muscle. This process degrades muscle recruitment, making it more difficult to perform activities of daily living. Exercise addresses the loss of muscle strength and muscle mass.
With that awareness, we can turn our focus to specific exercises that help with movement efficiency in a safe and effective way. Here’s one to try:
Half Kneeling Step To Stand with Assistance
Stand in front of a chair or couch.
Place your hands onto the seat.
Get down on one knee in front of the chair (use a pillow to cushion your knee), with the other foot forward.
Focus your eyes straight ahead. Drive the ground down with your front foot, keeping the upper body still, but keeping your hands on the chair or couch to assist you in stepping up to a standing position.
Maintain good posture, then step the frontfoot back to the starting position.
Progression:
Try the same exercise with a dowel (broomstick) in the opposing hand to the front foot for assistance.
As with all exercises and/or if you are unsure, please consult with your medical professional to find out if these are right for you.
[1] Brito, Leonardo & Ricardo, Djalma & Araújo, Deniaw & Ramos, Plinio & Myers, Jonathan & Araújo, Claudio Fil. (2012). Ability to sit and rise from the floor as a predictor of all-cause mortality. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. 21(7). 892–898. Doi: 10.1177/2047487312471759.
