Starting the New Year Right: A Physical Therapist's Guide to Fitness for Healthy Aging

As we enter the new year, consider this your invitation to invest in your future health.

Whether you're managing chronic conditions or simply want to age well, a thoughtfully designed exercise program can help you maintain independence, reduce pain, and enjoy life to its fullest. 

The right exercise program can dramatically improve the quality of life as we age. Studies have shown that about 30 percent of adults over age 70 have trouble with walking, getting up out of a chair, or climbing stairs.

Read on to learn how to kickstart your new year with safe and effective physical activity that can preserve your independence as you age.

If you’re new to exercising or changing up your program, check in and talk with your doctor before you start. Then start slowly, progress gradually, and celebrate the small victories along the way. 

First rule of healthy aging activities? Do what you enjoy

So often, we begin the New Year eagerly engaged with a new physical activity program, only to quit it by the end of March, research shows. To stay motivated and avoid this pitfall, do exercises or activities that you enjoy, says Amy Brown, DPT, a board-certified physical therapist with Lee Health at Cape Coral Hospital Outpatient Rehabilitation. 

“Maybe you like group activities, like exercising in a pool with others,” Amy says. “You can also stay motivated in other ways, too, such as by competing in sports like pickleball, tracking your workouts, or using apps that help chart your progress. Any of these can keep you engaged.”

Second rule of healthy aging activities? Mix it up

Enthusiasm for a new fitness routine can sometimes lead to overuse syndrome – repetitive motion injuries that occur when we do too much, too soon. 

Common signs that you’ve overdone it with a repetitive exercise include:

• Persistent pain that worsens with activity
• Swelling or stiffness
• Decreased strength or range of motion
• Pain that interferes with daily activities

Amy says mixing up your program with a variety of different activities not only keeps boredom away but also helps prevent your body from breaking down. 

“Don’t repeat the same thing each time you exercise,” Amy says. “Repetitively working the same muscle groups can lead to overuse syndrome and tendonitis. If all you do is jog but don’t resistance train, you’re setting yourself up for overuse syndrome.”

She adds that walking daily, one of the best and safest exercises to lose weight and become healthier, is fine in most instances. 

Weight-bearing v. cardiovascular activities

When it comes to bone health, weight-bearing (using your bones to support your weight) exercises like resistance training (lifting weights) are generally considered more effective than cardio alone for building and maintaining bone density. Resistance training directly stresses the bones, stimulating bone growth and preventing bone loss, experts say.

“For bone health, a weight bearing activity or resistance training stimulates bone health,” Amy says. “If you’re at a risk for osteoporosis because of menopausal or hereditary factors, you should target bone health.”

Examples of weight-bearing activities include brisk walking or hiking, dancing, low-impact aerobics, pickleball, elliptical machine workouts, stair climbing, and gardening.

A suggested program: Amy’s top five areas to focus on

Strengthen your core. Core strengthening is the cornerstone of functional fitness, but it's more than just doing sit-ups. Your core includes deep abdominal muscles, back muscles, and the muscles around your pelvis. 

A strong core:

• Improves balance and stability
• Reduces risk of falls
• Protects your spine during daily activities
• Enhances posture and reduces back pain

Simple core exercises like planks, bird dogs, and dead bugs can be done at home with minimal equipment. The key is proper form and consistent practice.

Improve your flexibility and stretch. As we age, our tissues become less elastic, leading to stiffness and reduced range of motion. Regular stretching helps:

• Maintain joint mobility
• Reduce muscle tension
• Improve posture
• Decrease risk of injury

“Our posture gets affected by gravity,” Amy says. “Stretching the spine for flexibility is so important, especially with our neck and lower back. When stretching, make sure to target your postural muscles, which tend to get neglected. Postural muscles include upper back [between the shoulder blades], lower back and gluteal/hip muscles.”

Experts also recommend focusing on major muscle groups and holding stretches for 30 seconds without bouncing. Consider incorporating gentle yoga or Tai Chi, which combine flexibility work with balance training.

Strengthen your legs and lower back. As we all know, the Florida landscape is not known for its hills, which means we rarely engage our leg muscles when navigating the outdoors. We also lose the opportunity to build leg strength because many of us don’t have stairs in our single-level homes. The result?

“Weak legs,” Amy answers. “In my own practice, I navigate up and down stairs all the time. The link between leg strength and lower back issues is significant.” 

Strong upper leg and gluteal muscles are crucial for spinal stability, reducing pain and improving movement. Research suggests that core training based on gluteal muscle-strengthening exercises enhances the stability in the spine and pelvis, leading to reduced back pain and improved function.

Balance activities. Balance problems become more common with age. Although some balance problems are preventable, many strike suddenly and without warning. According to the National Institute on Aging, a physical therapist like Amy or other professionals who understand balance and its relationship with other systems in the body can develop patient-specific exercises for you.

Also, fall prevention programs that include balance training and other exercises to improve daily activities can lower the risk of injury, such as bone fractures, if a fall does occur.

Balance training examples include walking heel-to-toe, practicing standing from a sitting position, and using a wobble board. Strengthening muscles of the back, abdomen, and legs also improve balance.

Tai Chi and yoga practices that incorporate balance movements can help, too. She says the key to these types of exercises is consistency and staying committed. “If you don’t practice, you lose it,” she cautions.

Cardio: The heart of the matter. Cardiovascular exercise is crucial for heart health, endurance, and weight management. Walking, swimming, cycling, or dancing for 150 minutes per week at moderate intensity can:

• Strengthen your heart and lungs
• Lower blood pressure
• Improve cholesterol levels
• Boost energy levels
• Enhance cognitive function

“For cardio and resistance workouts, pick what you like,” Amy says, reminding us that liking what we do will help keep us engaged. “There’s a whole basket of exercises to choose from; weight resistance, pushing/pulling activities, riding an exercise bike, and more.” 

Her advice for how often you should exercise follows the physical activity guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

• Adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week, such as 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
• Adults also need 2 days of muscle-strengthening activity each week.

To make gains safely, Amy advises using the 10 percent rule. That means you should only increase your training load (like duration, intensity, or frequency) by a maximum of 10 percent per week to prevent injuries and allow your body to adapt gradually to increased demands.

Have a chronic health condition?

Again, before starting a new exercise routine or activity, check with your doctor first. Your doctor may refer you to a physical therapist (patients need a referral before therapy can begin) if you have a health condition like diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, osteoporosis, obesity, or if you’re taking any medicine. A physical therapist can help develop a safe and effective exercise program specifically tailored for you.

Looking for a new doctor? Start here.

Visit with Lee Health Rehabilitation experts to start your health journey 

Physical therapists like Amy excel at modifying exercises to accommodate medical conditions while still providing benefits. Some examples include:

• For arthritis: Reducing impact while maintaining strength gains
• For heart conditions: Monitoring exercise intensity and progression
• For diabetes: Incorporating movement patterns that improve circulation
• For osteoporosis: Focusing on bone-strengthening activities while avoiding dangerous movements

Regular sessions with a physical therapist can help you:

• Set realistic goals
• Learn proper exercise techniques
• Develop a sustainable routine
• Address specific concerns or limitations
• Ensure correct form to prevent injury
• Adjust your program as you progress
• Build confidence in your abilities

You may need only one or two visits with a physical therapist to design a plan that fits your lifestyle, preferences, and medical needs. Alternatively, Amy adds, a certified fitness trainer can help fine-tune your existing program.

Remember, the best exercise program is one you'll follow, she adds. 

Get in touch with a Lee Health Physical Therapist here or call 239-349-3182.

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