Research has shown that there are a series of physiological and pathophysiological changes in the aging process, and exercise can improve the quality of life of the elderly and prolong life.
1, the impact of exercise on the elderly
cardiovascular system
Regularly engaged in physical exercise in the elderly, the function of the organs of the internal organs is still maintained at a high level. Long-term physical exercise makes the heart muscle fibers thicker and more powerful, the coronary artery blood supply increases, thus improving the blood circulation of the heart itself, and enhancing cardiac function. 6 months of exercise can increase the maximum oxygen uptake by 20%.
Respiratory system
The reserve function of the respiratory system begins to deteriorate from 30 to 60 years of age, and the deterioration is obvious after 60 years of age. 3 of the most important changes are: the alveolar volume increases, the elasticity decreases, and the respiratory muscle function decreases, which affects the lung's ability of ventilation and diffusion, and affects the transportation and exchange of oxygen. Frequent exercise makes the respiratory muscles strong and powerful, maintains the elasticity of the lung tissue and the mobility of the thorax, maintains and enhances the ventilation and gas exchange function, reduces the occurrence of emphysema in the elderly, and the diaphragm mobility is also significantly increased.
Muscular and Skeletal System
People's muscle strength is the best at the age of 25-30 years old, and then slowly declines. 40 years old, the decline accelerated, and at the age of 65 years old, the decline of 20%.
The elderly after exercise, can still make the muscle adaptability strengthened, blood circulation and metabolism improved. The endurance, speed, flexibility and accuracy of movement can be improved, and delay muscle atrophy, delay osteoporosis, decalcification and other aging processes. Elderly people are prone to osteoporosis, ligament and muscle degeneration, regular exercise, can strengthen the toughness of the joints, improve the elasticity and flexibility of the joints, to prevent and delay the degenerative changes in the elderly bones and joints .
Digestive system
Regular exercise can promote appetite, enhance gastrointestinal peristalsis, promote the secretion of digestive juices, accelerate the digestion and absorption of food. Due to the deepening of breathing during exercise, the diaphragm moves up and down and the activity of the abdominal muscles on the gastrointestinal tract can play a role in massaging and enhancing its function, so that blood acceleration, metabolism is vigorous, so as to improve the function of the liver, the pancreas and other internal organs.
Nervous system
Sports Exercise can improve the strength, balance and flexibility of the process of neural activity in the cerebral cortex, shortening the latency of the response, and the function of the various analyzers is better maintained, especially exercise can improve the flow of cerebral blood, improve the flexibility of the nerves, regulate the process of excitation and inhibition.
Hypothalamus-pituitary
The hypothalamus-pituitary function of the elderly is reduced, and endocrine regulation is reduced. Long-term persistence of exercise, can activate the thalamus "happy center", can bring the elderly happy mood, strengthen their confidence in overcoming aging, and can make the sleep good, full of energy . It can also improve endocrine function, increase the level of sex hormones in the elderly, and improve sexual function.
Delaying aging
The level of various enzymes in the body of the elderly decreases, free radicals metabolism changes, the kidney excretory function decreases, the blood circulation of the skin slows down, the feeling is not sensitive, and the bone marrow hematopoietic function is also weakened. The exercise can improve all of the above, promote the activity of enzymes and anti-free radicals, thus improving the metabolism and anti-oxidant ability, all of which are related to the delay of aging.
2, the elderly fitness exercise should follow the principle
The elderly body of the various systems and organs of the function has been reduced, the physical quality of the overall decline, easy to fatigue, exercise after the recovery is slower . Therefore, the elderly must better follow the principles of gradual, systematic, and individual treatment when exercising.
Comprehensive, regular medical checkups
Understanding the health status, changes in disease, and functioning of organs before, during, and after a period of exercise, with particular attention to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular changes, ensures that the exercise is safe.
Low-intensity, short time
Choose the exercise time is not too long, the intensity is not too big whole-body sports activities. The activity should include the muscles of all joints, movement should be rhythmic, and the speed should be a little slow. The response should be observed over a 2-week period. There may be a few days of muscle pain and fatigue, but this may disappear quickly. Adaptation and then a small increase in the amount of exercise, and then after a period of adaptation, wave-like gradual, do not pursue a straight line to increase the amount of exercise. The elderly should not do weight lifting, fast running and other fast speed, heavy physical activity.
Regular and consistent
At least 3 times a week, when after a period of tentative adaptation to the exercise, the intensity to reach the threshold of effectiveness, suitable heart rate of 40% to 60% of the maximum heart rate, about 110 beats / minute can be achieved. , it takes weeks to months to achieve optimal results, but if you stop exercising for 2 weeks, there is a significant downward trend.
Do not over exert yourself and move too hard
Exercise can be varied, but avoid holding your breath, over exerting yourself, moving too hard, avoiding to make the body suddenly lean forward, slumping, bending over and other actions. Breathing to be natural, available abdominal breathing.
Fun
The elderly exercise to have conscious requirements, hobbies and interests, do not force exercise, any reluctance will cause adverse consequences.
Stop exercising when you're sick
People with significant cardiac decompensation or chronic illnesses can perform medical physical exercise in accordance with the characteristics of their condition.
Emphasis on prior preparatory activities and post-exercise finishing activities
The older you are, the more adequate the preparatory activities, about 10 minutes of stretching, walking slowly to avoid injuries; at least 2 to 3 minutes of walking slowly after running; rest 5 minutes after the strength exercises, Avoid taking hot showers immediately after the exercise, but can be washed 1 time. The first thing you need to do is to take a warm shower immediately after exercising.
3, suitable for the elderly exercise
tai chi
tai chi movement, its roots in the feet, hair in the legs, dominant in the waist and the shape of the fingers. This whole-body movement, with the lumbar spine as the hub, driving the whole body musculoskeletal movement, thus making the nerve, cardiovascular and related visceral system in the excitement and inhibition, diastole and contraction of the coordinated and orderly activities, so that the person is vigorous, active function, for the human body to maintain the vitality of the laying of a solid foundation.
Jogging
Easy jogging exercise, can enhance the respiratory function, can make the lung capacity increase, improve the human body ventilation and ventilation capacity. Jogging exercise can make the heart muscle enhancement, thickening, with the role of exercise heart, heart protection . The heart size and function of elderly people engaged in jogging for many years is no different from the heart of a 20-year-old young man who does not participate in exercise, because long-term persistence in exercise improves myocardial nutrition, making the myocardium well developed and functionally improved.
Walking
Adhering to a daily brisk walk can effectively fight diabetes, reduce strokes, and prevent Alzheimer's disease. The first exercise can gradually increase the frequency and length of the exercise, first every other day to walk once, from half an hour to start, and gradually adapt to the daily exercise should be insisted on. The general public walk, feel a little short of breath, the body sweat, it shows that the amount of exercise up to the standard.
Walking can improve the metabolism of the elderly, regulating the mood of the elderly environment, can improve the physical quality of the elderly from all aspects, more can prevent and ease hypertension and other common cardiovascular diseases of the elderly .
Square Dance
Square Dance is a very good mass cultural and sports activities, it is easy to learn, but also than the other way of exercise intensity is a little bit less, recreation is stronger. The square dance is a great way to forget your worries and sorrows, to forget your age, to be full of youthful vigor, to feel the pleasant emotions, and thus to achieve the best psychological state. And helps to improve the quality of sleep, make sleep better, so that people get more fully rested , people more energetic, more spiritual.
Bicycling
After middle age, weight gain, but the lower limb joints of the support does not increase with age and more developed, on the contrary, some of the muscles are also atrophy. As a result, older people tend to have joint pain, or some other joint problems.
Cycling is a balancing exercise - two legs take turns pedaling, coordination and cooperation, can avoid the two hemispheres of the brain bias bias, is conducive to the development of the brain, to prevent cerebral hypoplasia. It can also prevent varicose veins in the lower limbs, hypertension, arteriosclerosis, and is conducive to pulmonary heart disease.
4, warm-up exercise before exercise
Squatting exercise
Squatting exercise is the best way to prevent sports injuries in the elderly, maintain the strength of the legs and waist.
The squatting exercise is: take a standing position, slightly apart from the legs, shoulder width, so that the back remains straight, slowly squatting until the thighs are parallel to the floor, and then slowly get up, can be done 10 times in a row.
One-legged stand
Balancing exercises for the elderly can prevent falls and ankle sprains.
One-legged stand is a simple and easy balance exercise, which is performed by standing on one leg for 20 seconds and then switching to the other leg for practice, several times a day. After practicing standing on one leg for a while, try practicing with your eyes closed.
Achilles tendon protection exercises
Research has found that Achilles tendon injuries are one of the most common injuries in older runners. In order to protect the Achilles tendon, the elderly should often stretch the Achilles tendon, stretching the Achilles tendon is: stand against the wall, one leg backward stretch (should make the heel on the ground), so that the Achilles tendon is stretched state for about 30 seconds, the legs of the knee slowly bent, and then keep this state for about 30 seconds, the other leg to do the same action.
Enhance the strength of your shoulder muscles
As we age, the water in our tendons and ligaments decreases significantly, making them more susceptible to injuries, especially the shoulder tendons and ligaments. Therefore, the elderly should practice chest expansion exercises or use the tensioner to exercise moderately, in order to enhance the strength of the shoulder muscles, to prevent shoulder muscle strains.