By Penny Stern, MD
NEW YORK, Oct 06 (Reuters Health) -- Doctors often err on the side of caution, and do not promote exercise for their elderly patients. But a leading British physician is recommending a more pro-active stance, encouraging doctors to get their elderly patients to be more physically active.
Dr. Marion McMurdo, of the University of Dundee in Scotland, told Reuters Health that "regular physical activity is more important in old age than it is in youth." In view of the so-called 'graying' of many of the world's populations together with common fears among the elderly about the dependency of old age, "effort should be invested in encouraging older people to be active and to maintain their independence for as long as possible," she explains.
Because people who pursue physical activity into their older years have been shown "to enjoy more years of healthy disability-free life than inactive older people," McMurdo suggests that "health professionals... be imaginative in helping older people identify a type of activity that they will enjoy."
She notes that support from others -- including friends, family members, and healthcare providers -- is key to the successful implementation of and "adherence to (a program) of regular activity."
McMurdo comments that "health professionals should be pro-active in talking to older people in a positive way about the potential benefits of activity in old age." These include "less fatigue, (being) more alert, more energy, (and) better sleep," she says.
In her article published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, McMurdo writes that "public health advice has failed to shake off the 'high-tech' lycra-clad image of aerobic exercises and physical fitness and embrace the concept of health and (ordinary) physical activity -- walking, dancing, gardening, or playing with the grandchildren."
"You don't need to be a marathon runner to improve your health in old age," she says. "In the past, we... overestimated the amount of activity required in old age to improve health."
McMurdo offers several recommendations for those interested in beginning an exercise program. "Find an activity you enjoy. Invite a friend or spouse to join you," she advises. For those who have not been active for many years, "start slowly and build up gradually, increasing the amount of time on a weekly basis," she adds.
"Exercise is meant to be enjoyable so (participants) should be left feeling refreshed and invigorated," McMurdo tells Reuters Health. She reminds exercisers, however, that one's personal physician should be consulted prior to initiating a new exercise regimen. And, consistent with well-known public health pronouncements, McMurdo recommends that older folks avoid tobacco and try to maintain an appropriate weight.
Telling her medical colleagues to "unwrap the cotton wool" in which the elderly are being encased, McMurdo urges health professionals to take "a leading role in passing on his important message: the best investment you can make for your old age is regular physical activity."
