Exercise is a good thing for people of all ages. However, as is the case with all other things in life, it is important to do it in moderation to reduce the chances of getting hurt. When in your 60s, your body may not be able to tolerate some forms of exercise, and this means that you would have to be careful about how you go about exercising. Fortunately, it is easy to identify the types of exercise you should avoid. Some of these include:
Jogging on Stairs
Jogging on stairs is an effective way to exercise for many people. It does not require much space, and offers more cardio compared to simple jogging. When in your 60s, however, it can be detrimental. This form of cardio is more intense compared to regular jogging and could lead to heart problems such as a heart attack. When exercising in this age bracket, it is important to avoid overworking the heart as this could lead to clogging of heart vessels by arterial or venous spasms or when lipid plaques detach from the inner surface of the veins and arteries and clog smaller ones downstream. The risk of a stroke is also increased using the same mechanism, as well as by increasing the chances of an arterial rupture within the brain.
Doing Overhead Presses
Normally, weightlifting is encouraged for many reasons. It maintains muscle mass, increases muscle definition, and reduces fat. It can also help in enhancing coordination. Overhead presses are particularly useful in increasing hand muscle strength and coordination. However, when over 60, this type of exercise is not encouraged since it increases pressure on the shoulders and shoulder muscles. This increases the risk of serious back injuries as well as neck pain and shoulder pain. In some cases, the shoulder girdle could give in, resulting in a dislocation that may be difficult to reduce. While this type of exercise is useful for younger people, it could lead to a lot of pain or loss of function when overdone by people over 60.
Boxing
Boxing is an excellent sport which increases strength, balance, and muscle definition. However, recent research has found that it is risky even for younger individuals. the high-impact nature of boxing can cause problems including head injury which is more likely in people over 60. The trauma resulting from boxing can also cause joint damage and bone breaks. It is much healthier for you to work out using a speed bag, rather than increase the risk of neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease due to repeated head trauma.
Spin Class
Spinning has become popular over the past few years but is one of the exercises to avoid in 60s. It has been shown to increase rental and cardiac function, to the point where it could lead to renal failure and heart attacks in people over 60.
To ensure your safety when working out, we provide well-trained team members to help you out with any health and wellness activity including exercise. You can therefore come up with an exercise regimen to suit your current needs and status without fear of any of the above. Contact us today to schedule a tour of our retirement community.