12.23.06
Jane Brody pens must read column for all aging boomers
Jane Brody, the nutrition and fitness writer for the New York Times is always a good read, but in this column, “To Avoid ‘Boomeritis,’ Exercise, Exercise, Exercise” she out does herself.
She clearly articulates that aging boomers must step up their exercise programs as they age if they are to enjoy injury free and active lives. She clarifies that the concept of a half hour walk several times per week does not constitute sufficient exercise, (and it never did.)
She mentions says that, “in addition to activities like walking, jogging, cycling and swimming that promote endurance, cardiovascular health and weight control, there is a dire need for exercises that improve posture and increase strength, flexibility and balance. These exercises can greatly reduce the risk of injuries from sports and endurance activities, the demands of daily life, falls and other accidents.”
Musculoskeletal injuries are the number 1 reason for seeking medical care in the
If you don’t exercise, what’s the result? Boomeritis, a term apparently coined by Dr. Nicholas A. DiNubile, an orthopedic surgeon at the Hospital of the
Here is a quiz cited in the column which was developed by two prominent physical therapists, Marilyn Moffat and Carole B. Lewis to assess the status of your posture, strength, balance, flexibility and endurance.
¶Are you not standing as straight and tall as you once did?
Is walking up a flight of stairs a strain at times?
Are you getting up from a chair more slowly than you used to?
Is it getting harder to look to the left and right while backing up?
Do you get stiff sitting through a long movie?
Is standing on one leg to put on your shoe difficult or impossible?
Do you trip or lose your balance more easily?
Does walking or jogging a distance take longer than it used to?
The bottom line according to the quiz authors: “The antidote to aging is activity.”
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