Alan's theme was "Move well, Feel Good, Enjoy life" (viewble HERE), he explained how people stiffen up as they age. Stretched muscles that take 3-minutes to recover at age 17 but nearly 20 minutes at age 70. Exercise is especially important as we grow older muscles start to weaken after the age of 40, and the body runs out of synaptic fluid. However, arthritis is not inevitable for most people, and can be avoided by regular exercise.
He explained the importance of regular exercise, that only 5% of men over the age of 65 do regular exercise, the complications being inactivity, and how physiotherapy can help mobility. Complications can include the obvious, such as obesity, but also contraction of joints, falls, constipation and depression.
His definition of exercise means pushing yourself, for cardio-vascular benefit, so simply strolling, while better than nothing, is not very effective. The exercises should be specific and regular, meaning two or three times a week, totalling 150 minutes per week.
Group based exercises such as Pilates, or gym programmes, are helpful, but he also recommended sample home-based exercises such as chair squats, single leg balancing, wall presses and trunk rotation. Ideally everyone should have a physiotherapist prepare a personal programme.
In answering a question, he said physios were not allowed to recommend and herbal or drug medication.
