An increase in athletic sports and activities will bring about a greater chance of injuries - that's just part and parcel with having an active life. However, this is no reason for older people to cut back on exercise and physical fitness.
Adjusting how one exercises should be adjusted but reducing or cutting back on exercise is never a good solution. Being inactive has further-reaching adverse affects than being active and exercising.
As we get older the main things we really need to have are things like balance, reaction time,
orientation, coordination, mental acuity, balance, ability to move/walk and think. Exercise
and physical activity on a routine basis completely augments all of these things.
Exercise and fitness has these healing affects in geriatric and older patients (and younger patients too):
1. Bone loss (Osteoporosis) can be greatly prevented sports and activities that require weights and loads.
2. People who are active and exercise are less likely to have unwanted falls and accidents as
they are more coordinated and have more strength. (Note: many injuries and death of the elderly
are sustained from falling).
3. The loss of overall strength can be greatly slowed down when one is active and exercising regularly.
4. It's been proven that mental acuity and alertness are higher in older adults who are active and
exercising on a regular basis.
5. Stamina and sex life are much more healthy in older patients who are involved in some kind of fitness activity.
6. Depression and anxiety are easier to overcome the more fit a person is. There is a direct correlation
between the "ability to be active" and the "inability to be mobile". Persons who can't physically do things
are more apt to be depressed and suffer from anxiety.
7. People who exercise and maintain an active lifestyle tend to be more able to sleep and enjoy a good night's rest. Having a consistent good night's rest is conducive to being happy. Tired people are not usually happy.
8. The ability to recover and bounce back physically and mentally from bad news or bad situations is greatly improved when one is involved in a moderate to active sports/fitness life.
9. Reduced stress. There is something that happens in exercise (even the lightest kind of exercise) that helps one combat stress. When one is able to fight back physically (through exercise or other fitness activities) this helps one combat the stressful factors of life.
10. Increased ability to fight disease and illness. As we get older, illnesses like the flu, can really
have a long-lasting affect and be very crippling. There are geriatric individuals who die from the flu or some
variation of it every year. One's immunity system and one's ability to combat illness is greatly boosted with some exercise.
