SHARES
Aptly known as The Turbaned Tornado, Fauja Singh became the first 100-year-old man to complete a marathon. The octogenarian started running when he was 89 years young. Soon after, he became the fastest marathoner alive over age 90 while breaking the record by 57 minutes. The secret? Exercise, right exercise and regular exercise.
Today, Fauja still moves around without the aid of a walking stick. Although he retired from running marathons but not from exercise, he plans to stay active by walking every day. Truly, participating in physical activities has helped him to maintain his bodily functions and youthfulness.
However, as we age, many start to experience difficulties in mobility. Various reasons could have contributed to reduced mobility, which include:
- Lack of exercise
- Inadequate nutrient and water intake
- Being overweight
- Smoking and excess alcohol intake
- Inadequate sleep and rest
Ageing Muscles and Bones
As the body gets older, the muscles may suffer from decline in function. Sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass, can happen with aging. Sedentary lifestyle, inadequate nutrition or other diseases may also be the culprit of this condition. Within the fifties, the rate of muscle loss will be at 1 to 2 % every year; meanwhile, the rate of muscle loss increases to 3 % after 60 years old. Nevertheless, designated exercises, known as progressive resistance training, can slow muscle loss, and even help to rebuild the muscles.
Similarly, the bone constantly replace itself in response to nutrition, physical stresses, hormones and medications. However, when the bones are broken down faster than they are replaced, bone loss occurs. Bone loss usually starts in the thirties, which continues throughout life at the rate of 0.5 % to 1 % loss annually. Upon menopause, women also experience faster rate of bone loss at 2 % annually. Hence, adequate nutrition comprising of calcium, vitamin D and protein is essential to maintain bone health. Again, progressive resistance training can help to strengthen and restore bone health.
Choosing the Right Exercise
Regular exercise is beneficial for the body. Some advantages of exercise include stronger body, better mobility and enhanced mood and cognitive function.
The recommended activities are as follow:
- Aerobic activity (3 to 5 days/week, with each session lasting 30 to 45 minutes)
- Muscle strengthening (at least 2 days/week)
- Static stretching (5 to 7 days/week)
- Joint range of motion
- Aquatic exercise
- Core muscle training
- Dynamic balance work
Nonetheless, the right exercise ought to be specific to the demands and goals of an individual. Choose a routine that is enjoyable, convenient and affordable. It will also be helpful if the routine was previously carried out and can be easily adaptable according to the availability of equipment. If needed, consult a physiotherapist or personal trainer for recommendation and guidance.
Acknowledgement:
With thanks to Mr Justin Trott, Registered Physiotherapist at Physionique, who has contributed to this article.
References:
- Turbaned Tornado. [Internet] [cited 2018 November 14] Available from: https://mensrunninguk.co.uk/news/fauja-singh/
If you would like to make an appointment with a Physiotherapist:
Find a Physiotherapist in Malaysia, on GetDoc
Find a Physiotherapist in Singapore, on GetDoc
by Joanne Lee
Multipotentialite. Loves creating and seeing ideas come alive. View all articles by Joanne Lee.
