| After 60 years of working I suppose my father | | | | injuries for people 65 and older was $20.2 |
| could afford to buy a coffee shop if he | | | | billion in 1994, and that is expected to |
| wanted to, but he won't pay $3 for a cup of | | | | reach $32.4 billion by 2020, according to the |
| coffee. I don't blame him. He also won't | | | | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. |
| incur the expense nor take the time to stick | | | | In one year 735,000 seniors required doctors' |
| with a strength training program either. On | | | | care as a result of falling. |
| this point I take issue. I took him to a | | | | |
| health club once and showed him a simple | | | | As people age they lose as much as half of |
| strength training routine. I told him to do | | | | their fast-twitch muscle fibers. These fibers |
| it once a week; it would only take a half an | | | | control quick movements and responsible for |
| hour. I told him a year from now he could be | | | | most of our strength. That decline can be |
| significantly stronger or significantly | | | | reversed with high intensity weight training. |
| weaker. It was his choice. | | | | There is plenty of documentation out there |
| | | | making the case for strength training for the |
| A year latter I asked him if he ever when | | | | elderly. One study conducted with 90 year |
| back. As I expected he said no. He was | | | | olds: |
| content to walk for his exercise. During that | | | | |
| time he had a couple of nasty falls, once | | | | High-intensity strength training in |
| breaking a rib and once he banged his head | | | | nonagenarians. Effects on skeletal muscle. |
| pretty badly. We did not know it at the time, | | | | Fiatarone MA, Marks EC, Ryan ND, Meredith CN, |
| but the consequences of falling were more | | | | Lipsitz LA, Evans WJ. Strength gains averaged |
| serious that we thought. | | | | 174% %2B/- 31% (mean %2B/- SEM) in the 9 |
| | | | subjects who completed training. Midthigh |
| My father became forgetful and could not | | | | muscle area increased 9.0% %2B/- 4.5%. Mean |
| focus. It kind of flew under the radar for a | | | | tandem gait speed improved 48% after |
| while until it could no longer be ignored or | | | | training. We conclude that high-resistance |
| denied. He recently underwent a series of | | | | weight training leads to significant gains in |
| tests. We were relieved to know that he does | | | | muscle strength, size, and functional |
| not have the early stages of Alzheimer's or | | | | mobility among frail residents of nursing |
| dementia. An MRI revealed that there was | | | | homes up to 96 years of age |
| damage to his brain. The doctors speculated | | | | |
| that it was most likely a result of a fall. | | | | Of all the people who stand to gain by |
| | | | strength training the elderly stand to |
| As people age they lose strength and with | | | | benefit most. It is important not only for |
| that gait speed and then a loss of balance. | | | | the increased quality of life strength can |
| With the loss of strength they lose the | | | | bring but to avoid the consequences of |
| ability to recover from a stumble. Falls | | | | weakness - falls, injuries, sickness, and |
| inevitably occur, and those that do fall who | | | | death. These strength increases don't require |
| are weak are more likely to suffer injuries | | | | hours in the gym; do just enough to cause a |
| as result of that fall. | | | | change, then come back and do it again in a |
| | | | week. With such a program you'll more likely |
| Falling is the 14th leading cause of death | | | | to stick to it. You can look forward to the |
| among the elderly. | | | | next year knowing you will be stronger |
| | | | instead of weaker. All it takes a half hour a |
| Each year, more than one-third of Americans | | | | week. Is it worth it? I am convinced it is. |
| over 65 sustain falls, total cost of fall | | | | |