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Industry: Email Alert RSS FeedExercise & Fitness for women over 40
National Women's Health Report, Dec, 2002 by Pamela Peeke
The results, say her daughter, writer Alisa Bauman, are pretty incredible. Her posture, which I thought was permanently slouched from osteoporosis, is improving." Yet too many people think they have to limit their physical activity when a chronic condition or disability strikes--be it arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis or heart disease. In truth, the opposite is true. Physical activity can be a literal lifesaver, or, at least, quality-of-lifesaver, for nearly every chronic condition. The only caveat: Make sure you check with your physician before beginning any exercise program if you've been doing little more than sitting on the couch punching the remote. Here, then, is how exercise can help with specific conditions:
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* Arthritis. Exercise physiologist James H. Rimmer, PhD, is frustrated with his mother, who has arthritis but refuses to exercise. Her doctor tells her she can either have a total knee replacement or learn to walk with a cane. But her son, who specializes in physical activity for people with disabilities, knows that if his mother started taking a warm water exercise class, "she'd be a different woman." While exercise can't reverse or cure arthritis, it can reduce pain, primarily by strengthening the muscles that support the joints, says Todd Stitik, MD, associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. It may also slow the progression of the disease. The key is to start slowly, Dr. Stitik says. While any exercise you enjoy works, weight-bearing exercise is best. Avoid high-repetition, high-resistance and high-impact muscle strengthening exercises. (6)
* Diabetes. Any aerobic exercise drives down blood sugar by making cells more sensitive to insulin, says Dr. Stitik. If you have diabetes, it's essential that you carefully monitor your blood glucose levels before, during and after exercise. And make sure you wear the proper footwear and maintain proper foot care. You should also avoid high-impact, weight-bearing activities, such as jogging on hard surfaces, which can cause repetitive foot trauma. (6) Exercise can also help prevent Type 2 diabetes (not Type 1). In one study, women who walked at least three hours a week had a 40 percent lower risk of diabetes than sedentary women. (20)
* Osteoporosis. Resistance training with machines or free weights that require you to stand puts greater force on your hips and spine, better for increasing or maintaining bone density than those in which you're sitting. If you have osteoporosis, avoid high-impact exercises such as jogging, and exercises that involve quick twists of your body or that put excessive force against your spine. (6)
* Coronary heart disease. If you have heart disease, the best exercise for you is brisk walking four to seven days a week for at least 30 minutes. Keep at it, and you may actually see a decline in your level of disease. (6)
If you get stuck, just do what Marilyn Bauman does when her motivation wanes: "Sometimes I just make myself do it because I know I will feel better if I do."
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