BENEFITS OF PRACTICING SPORTS FOR SENIOR CITIZENS
The largest age group in the 21st century will be the over-65s, people whose capacity declines as their daily physical activity declines. However, simple exercise programs can easily correct much of this decline. Exercise and physical activity improve health, functional capacity, quality of life, and independence.
Benefits of sports practice
- Bone quality, muscle strength, elasticity, immune system, and cardiorespiratory efficiency all improve considerably.
- It increases memory and reduces the risk of depression, anxiety, and stress.
- A study by the Karolinska Institute (Sweden) found that physical exercise reduces the risk of all types of dementia in old age and can reduce the risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease by up to 40 percent.
- It improves body composition and thus helps to control blood pressure.
- Together with a heart-healthy diet, it reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.
- In people with low aerobic endurance who need help to perform everyday tasks, physical exercise improves their maximal oxygen consumption and makes them more independent.
- It lowers blood cholesterol and total body fat.
What is the ideal exercise?
The ideal exercise is the aerobic type (at low to moderate intensity) is because of its lower cardiovascular demands and everyone can find the time to do it, whether it’s an accountant or a freelance essays writer. Emphasis should be placed on stretching, mobility, and flexibility work instead of resistance work. The most advisable are:
- Walking, in all its forms (walking, hiking, etc.).
- Hunting and fishing.
- Cycling on safe circuits or on stationary bicycles.
- Swimming.
- Golf.
- Numerous types of gymnastics (maintenance, aerobics, or ballroom dancing).
- Those that require some previous experience (such as horseback riding, rowing, and fencing) or soccer, tennis, and paddle tennis, as long as it is not for competitive purposes.
How long should it be done?
The intensity should be around 60-70 percent of the maximum frequency to improve cardiovascular conditions, with a frequency of at least two to three sessions throughout the week and an average duration of 30 to 40 minutes per session. However, as age increases, the weekly frequency should be increased, and the time per session should be decreased to physical activity of 15 minutes daily.
Advice and precautions
- Consult your doctor if you are determined to exercise. Your medical history and a stress test will determine what type of exercise you can do and at what intensity. Also, it will rule out the presence of coronary heart disease (which in some cases may exist but be “silent” without symptoms).
- Always perform warm-up exercises.
- Exercise in a group, according to your age or degree of disability. It will give you confidence and help you overcome problems.
- Relax your muscles. When you work with a certain tension, muscle tone is higher than normal and causes fatigue and tiredness.
- Fatigue should not be reached in any case. The competitive spirit should not cause excessive tension either.
- Exercise should be light, of short duration, and with frequent breaks. Avoid sports that challenge your eyesight or balance.
- Do not do sports late in the afternoon because it could make sleeping difficult.
- Do not exercise in extremely hot or cold conditions, both indoors and outdoors. The lower proportion of sweat glands in the elderly makes heat loss more difficult. Exercise in hot or high-humidity environments should be avoided.
- Stop the activity at any abnormal symptom.
- Always end the activity with cooling exercises.
Sports that should not be practiced
- High intensity, such as squash or sprinting.
- With a high-strength component, such as judo, wrestling, or gymnastics with apparatus or throwing.
- High contacts, such as field hockey, rugby, or handball.
- With high accident risks, such as water skiing or scuba diving.
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