Three key factors in maintaining our bodies as we age are flexibility, strength and balance. When we’re younger most of us take these qualities for granted (unless we’re injured or disabled), but the passage of time can bring reminders of their capacity to enhance or diminish our quality of life and overall wellness.
Flexibility allows us to walk, run, reach up and bend down. Strength is crucial for lifting, carrying and providing the stamina to move ourselves forward each day. Without balance we wouldn’t be able to hold ourselves upright or move around without risk of falling.
These facts seem obvious; yet many people are either engaged in exercise programs that emphasize only one of the key factors or are making little or no effort while they are younger to help maintain them.
If you are caring for elderly family members or are observant of older people, you will notice the devastating effects of loss of flexibility (slow stiff walking, inability to reach for food or tie their own shoes), strength (incapable of carrying the lightest loads, unable to get up from a chair or bed) and balance (dependent on a walker or others to move around). While many older people suffer these limitations due to specific illnesses or temporary health challenges, others seem to attribute their loss of flexibility, strength and balance to “normal” aging.
Since the average lifespan is lengthening due to medical advances, greater access to health information and other factors, it seems more important than ever as we age to focus on keeping ourselves as flexible, strong and balanced as possible. Participation in a regular exercise program that promotes all three elements can be an important way to have an influence on our aging process. Walking, yoga, aerobics, supervised weight training, swimming, tennis, golf and other activities can all be beneficial in promoting flexibility, strength and balance. The keys to making positive lifestyle changes are awareness of our physical, mental and emotional condition and motivation to stay flexible, strong and balanced. – AR